Wohlers22 Eb
Wohlers22 Eb
Wohlers22 Eb
Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence ● ASTM International ● 1850 M Street NW, Suite 1030
Washington, DC 20036 ● 970-225-0086 ● wohlersassociates.com
Trademarked company and product names are the property of their respective
owners. The images on the front cover (from top to bottom and left to right) are
courtesy of 1) Olaf Diegel, 2) Olaf Diegel, 3) 3T Additive Manufacturing, 4) Olaf
Diegel, 5) Olaf Diegel, 6) GE Aviation, 7) Olaf Diegel, and 8) Radic
Performance.
The information in this report was obtained from sources that Wohlers
Associates, powered by ASTM International, does not control but believes to be
honest and reliable. The company in no way assumes any part of the risk of the
buyer or reader of this report; does not guarantee its completeness, timeliness,
or accuracy; and shall not be held liable for anything resulting from use of or
reliance on the information, or from omission or negligence.
Terry Wohlers, Noah Mostow, Ian Campbell, Olaf Diegel, Joseph Kowen, and
Ismail Fidan authored sections of this report. Unless otherwise noted, images
and illustrations are from Wohlers Associates.
Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act, no part of this
publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means
without prior written permission from Wohlers Associates.
ISBN 978-0-9913332-9-5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 24 23 22
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.........................................................................................................................................................10
REMARKS FROM ASTM INTERNATIONAL ..............................................................................................................................12
A NOTE FROM TERRY WOHLERS .........................................................................................................................................12
ABOUT THE AUTHORS AND EDITORS ..................................................................................................................................13
Principal authors ........................................................................................................................................................13
Associate author ........................................................................................................................................................15
Editorial team .............................................................................................................................................................16
ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS, AND CONVERSIONS ................................................................................................................17
PART 1: INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................................18
FOCUS OF THIS REPORT .....................................................................................................................................................18
INTRODUCTION TO AM AND 3D PRINTING.............................................................................................................................19
Processes and feedstock ...........................................................................................................................................20
Putting AM to work .....................................................................................................................................................20
HISTORY OF AM ...............................................................................................................................................................22
1960s to the modern era ............................................................................................................................................22
March 2021 to March 2022 ........................................................................................................................................22
INDUSTRY SURVEY ............................................................................................................................................................28
APPLICATIONS ..................................................................................................................................................................30
Prototyping .................................................................................................................................................................30
Tooling .......................................................................................................................................................................33
Final part production ..................................................................................................................................................36
Additional applications ...............................................................................................................................................37
INDUSTRIES ......................................................................................................................................................................38
Aerospace ..................................................................................................................................................................38
Medical.......................................................................................................................................................................42
Dentistry .....................................................................................................................................................................46
Automotive .................................................................................................................................................................49
Consumer products ....................................................................................................................................................53
Education and academic research .............................................................................................................................56
Power and energy ......................................................................................................................................................58
Government and military ............................................................................................................................................61
Architectural models...................................................................................................................................................63
Construction ...............................................................................................................................................................66
Other industries ..........................................................................................................................................................69
MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS ............................................................................................................................................71
AM will replace conventional manufacturing ..............................................................................................................71
Complexity is free ......................................................................................................................................................72
AM is a “push button” process ...................................................................................................................................73
Most AM systems are similar .....................................................................................................................................74
AM is environmentally friendly ...................................................................................................................................74
Few materials are available for AM ............................................................................................................................75
Metal AM produces parts inexpensively .....................................................................................................................75
AM parts are inferior to conventional parts.................................................................................................................76
Every home will have a 3D printer .............................................................................................................................76
PART 2: MATERIALS AND PROCESSES .......................................................................................................................77
PROCESSES .....................................................................................................................................................................77
Material extrusion .......................................................................................................................................................78
Vat photopolymerization.............................................................................................................................................80
Powder bed fusion .....................................................................................................................................................83
Material jetting............................................................................................................................................................86
Binder jetting ..............................................................................................................................................................88
Directed energy deposition ........................................................................................................................................90
Sheet lamination ........................................................................................................................................................92
MATERIALS ......................................................................................................................................................................94
Polymers ....................................................................................................................................................................94
New polymer products ...............................................................................................................................................99
Polymer pricing ........................................................................................................................................................101
Metals ......................................................................................................................................................................102
New metal powders .................................................................................................................................................105
Producing powders for metal AM .............................................................................................................................107
Metal powder pricing ................................................................................................................................................111
Composites and hybrid materials .............................................................................................................................112
Materials for metal-casting .......................................................................................................................................115
Ceramics and other materials ..................................................................................................................................117
THIRD-PARTY MATERIAL PRODUCERS ................................................................................................................................119
Open vs. closed material business models ..............................................................................................................119
Third-party producers ...............................................................................................................................................120
MATERIALS DATABASE .....................................................................................................................................................122
Materials by process ................................................................................................................................................123
Material producers and products ..............................................................................................................................123
PART 3: INDUSTRY GROWTH ......................................................................................................................................127
REVENUE FROM AM WORLDWIDE .....................................................................................................................................127
Products and services ..............................................................................................................................................128
Growth percentages .................................................................................................................................................129
SYSTEM MANUFACTURERS ...............................................................................................................................................129
Unit sales .................................................................................................................................................................131
Market shares ..........................................................................................................................................................132
Systems sold by region ............................................................................................................................................133
Average selling price ................................................................................................................................................134
Metal AM systems ....................................................................................................................................................134
Polymer AM systems ...............................................................................................................................................135
Unit sales by manufacturer and year........................................................................................................................135
DESKTOP 3D PRINTERS ...................................................................................................................................................141
Sales growth ............................................................................................................................................................142
China........................................................................................................................................................................142
Materials and R&D ...................................................................................................................................................143
AM MATERIAL SALES .......................................................................................................................................................144
Photopolymers .........................................................................................................................................................145
Polymer powders .....................................................................................................................................................146
Filaments .................................................................................................................................................................147
Metals ......................................................................................................................................................................147
SERVICE PROVIDERS .......................................................................................................................................................148
Primary service market ............................................................................................................................................148
Service provider survey............................................................................................................................................149
Contributing service providers ..................................................................................................................................149
Survey results ..........................................................................................................................................................152
Pre- and post-processing .........................................................................................................................................152
Most profitable AM processes ..................................................................................................................................153
Most profitable materials ..........................................................................................................................................155
Revenue growth .......................................................................................................................................................156
Competition ..............................................................................................................................................................157
Comments from service providers ...........................................................................................................................158
INVESTMENT IN PUBLICLY TRADED COMPANIES ...................................................................................................................161
Revenues and earnings ...........................................................................................................................................164
Outlook.....................................................................................................................................................................168
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS ...........................................................................................................................................169
CORPORATE INVESTMENTS ..............................................................................................................................................171
CAD SOLID MODELING .....................................................................................................................................................172
PART 4: FINAL PART PRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................175
BENEFITS OF AM FOR PRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................176
Reduction of tooling .................................................................................................................................................176
Reduced lead time and on-demand manufacturing .................................................................................................177
Reduced inventory and part consolidation ...............................................................................................................178
Sustainability and waste reduction ...........................................................................................................................179
Custom product manufacturing ................................................................................................................................179
Generative design and biomimicry ...........................................................................................................................180
Optimized structures ................................................................................................................................................181
India .........................................................................................................................................................................249
Japan .......................................................................................................................................................................251
South Korea .............................................................................................................................................................252
Singapore.................................................................................................................................................................253
Taiwan .....................................................................................................................................................................254
AUSTRALASIA .................................................................................................................................................................255
Australia ...................................................................................................................................................................255
New Zealand ............................................................................................................................................................256
EUROPE .........................................................................................................................................................................257
Austria ......................................................................................................................................................................258
Belgium ....................................................................................................................................................................259
Denmark ..................................................................................................................................................................260
Finland .....................................................................................................................................................................260
France ......................................................................................................................................................................261
Germany ..................................................................................................................................................................263
Hungary ...................................................................................................................................................................264
Italy ..........................................................................................................................................................................265
Netherlands..............................................................................................................................................................266
Norway .....................................................................................................................................................................267
Poland ......................................................................................................................................................................268
Portugal....................................................................................................................................................................269
Romania...................................................................................................................................................................270
Slovenia ...................................................................................................................................................................271
Spain ........................................................................................................................................................................271
Sweden ....................................................................................................................................................................272
Switzerland ..............................................................................................................................................................273
Turkey ......................................................................................................................................................................274
United Kingdom .......................................................................................................................................................275
MIDDLE EAST .................................................................................................................................................................276
Egypt ........................................................................................................................................................................276
Iran ...........................................................................................................................................................................277
Israel ........................................................................................................................................................................278
OTHER REGIONS .............................................................................................................................................................279
Brazil ........................................................................................................................................................................279
Canada ....................................................................................................................................................................280
South Africa .............................................................................................................................................................282
United States ...........................................................................................................................................................284
PART 6: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................................................286
TRENDS .........................................................................................................................................................................286
PATENTS........................................................................................................................................................................287
Patent litigation ........................................................................................................................................................289
CONSORTIA AND COLLABORATION .....................................................................................................................................290
ASTM AM Center of Excellence ...............................................................................................................................290
America Makes ........................................................................................................................................................291
Fraunhofer Society ...................................................................................................................................................291
Women in 3D Printing ..............................................................................................................................................292
Mobility Goes Additive..............................................................................................................................................293
Partnerships .............................................................................................................................................................294
Other groups and associations ................................................................................................................................296
AM STANDARDS..............................................................................................................................................................298
ASTM Committee F42..............................................................................................................................................298
ISO/TC 261 ..............................................................................................................................................................300
AM Standardization Collaborative ............................................................................................................................301
AM ACTIVITIES AT NASA ................................................................................................................................................301
AM IN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ......................................................................................................................303
U.S. GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED R&D ..............................................................................................................................304
National Science Foundation ...................................................................................................................................304
DOD, DOE, and DOC ..............................................................................................................................................305
National Institutes of Health .....................................................................................................................................306
U.S. NATIONAL LABORATORIES .........................................................................................................................................306
Oak Ridge National Laboratory ................................................................................................................................307
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ................................................................................................................308
XJet ..........................................................................................................................................................................382
U.S. ..............................................................................................................................................................................383
3D Systems..............................................................................................................................................................383
Carbon .....................................................................................................................................................................384
Cincinnati .................................................................................................................................................................385
Desktop Metal ..........................................................................................................................................................385
Essentium ................................................................................................................................................................386
ETEC .......................................................................................................................................................................387
ExOne ......................................................................................................................................................................388
Formlabs ..................................................................................................................................................................389
GE Additive ..............................................................................................................................................................389
HP ............................................................................................................................................................................390
Markforged ...............................................................................................................................................................391
Optomec ..................................................................................................................................................................392
MANUFACTURER, PROCESS, AND MATERIAL MATRIX ............................................................................................................393
ADDITIONAL SYSTEM MANUFACTURERS..............................................................................................................................394
APPENDICES..................................................................................................................................................................400
APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY OF TERMS ..................................................................................................................................400
APPENDIX B: 1988–2006 UNIT SALES...............................................................................................................................409
APPENDIX C: METAL AM COMPARISON MATRIX ..................................................................................................................412
APPENDIX D: 3D SCANNING SYSTEMS ...............................................................................................................................425
Wohlers Associates is grateful for the generous input from 117 service
providers, 114 manufacturers of additive manufacturing systems, and 29
producers of third-party materials.
ASTM International has expanded its vision for AM by joining forces with
Wohlers Associates. Over the past 35 years, Wohlers Associates has developed
exceptional capabilities around AM market intelligence and consulting. The
company's brand and reputation are unmatched.
The synergy from acquiring Wohlers Associates and the Wohlers Report has
expanded the offerings of the AM CoE. Together, the two are providing
advisory services, training, and expert reports. Through the AM CoE, a fast-
growing team of experts are contributing to events, publications, special
initiatives, and the development of standards.
The Wohlers Report has been a trustworthy and highly respected source on 3D
printing for more than 25 years. The report is a resource for new and
experienced professionals from industry, governments, and research institutes
interested in understanding the current state of the AM industry and where it
is headed. It will continue to serve as a valuable resource for many years to
come.
Input and feedback on the report are encouraged. We hope it provides the
information and insight you are seeking.
A note from I could not be happier with ASTM International’s acquisition of Wohlers
Associates. We have experienced incredible synergy since Day One and
Terry Wohlers could not be more aligned. The ASTM AM CoE leadership is in full support of
continuing and expanding the portfolio of products and services from
Wohlers Associates, including the Wohlers Report.
We are fully committed to helping the AM industry develop the talent and
resources needed for standards and educational and training programs. I am
more excited than ever about the future of AM and plan to be a part of the
industry for many years to come.
About the At the core of Wohlers Report 2022 is a global team of five principal
authors spanning four continents. These individuals collect, analyze, and
Authors and Editors organize contributions and data from around the world. They also author
many sections of the report. A vital part of the core group is an editorial
team and associate author. These professionals played a key role in the
development of the report.
Principal authors Terry Wohlers, MSc, Dr. h.c., FSME: Wohlers founded Wohlers Associates,
a global consulting firm, 35 years ago. The company was sold to ASTM
International in Q4 2021. Through this company, Wohlers and his team
have provided consulting assistance to more than 280 organizations in 27
countries. Wohlers has also provided insight to nearly 200 additional
clients in the investment community.
His appetite for adventure has motivated him to climb the Great Wall of
China, hike the rain forests of New Zealand, dive among sharks in Belize,
and bathe in the Dead Sea. He has ridden elephants in Thailand,
encountered lions in Africa, explored the ancient pyramids of Egypt, and
traveled the crocodile-infested rivers of Malaysian Borneo. He jumped
from a bridge near Queenstown, New Zealand, where commercial bungy
jumping originated. Most recently, he has skied the peaks of southwest
British Columbia, Canada, by helicopter.
Diegel is fluent in English and French and can speak Japanese. He is skilled
in using SolidWorks for complex organic shapes and features. Diegel has a
strong interest in additive manufacturing and advanced manufacturing
systems. He has published widely and frequently speaks at international
events around the world.
Acronyms, Within this report and the broader additive manufacturing (AM) industry,
many acronyms, abbreviations, and conversions are used. The following
Abbreviations, and are some of the most common. See Appendix A for a glossary of terms and
Conversions definitions.
Many currencies are used throughout the report. The following exchange
rates are from early March 2022.
Throughout the report, both metric and imperial units are provided. The
following table provides some common conversions.
Metric Imperial
1m 39.37 in
1 mm 0.039 in
1 µm 39.37 µin
1 m2 10.76 ft2
1 kg 2.2 lbs
Part 1: Introduction
Focus of this report The Wohlers Report, published annually, is a comprehensive compilation
and analysis of additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing. These
terms are used interchangeably throughout the industry and this
publication. For 27 years, this report has provided a thorough review of
the global AM industry.
Wohlers Report 2022 can be used as a tool for education and knowledge
acceleration. Information can provide a competitive edge, and that is what
this report aims to do. Readers new to AM will gain a comprehensive
understanding of the technology and industry. Seasoned AM veterans will
benefit from the up-to-date information on growth, trends, and the latest
and most important developments.
AM process Abbreviation
Binder jetting BJT
Directed energy deposition DED
Material extrusion MEX
Material jetting MJT
Powder bed fusion PBF
Sheet lamination SHL
Vat photopolymerization VPP
The following table shows the intersections between the AM processes and
the available material families and applications, such as investment and
sand casting. Some processes are inherently linked to specific materials.
Putting AM to work The application of AM may be driven by enhancing part performance. This
can include creating desirable geometric shapes that are either impossible
or very expensive to produce using formative or subtractive
manufacturing. Examples are tools with conformal cooling channels,
topology-optimized parts, and parts with internal cellular or lattice
structures. Enhanced performance may also include creating unique
microstructures that impact performance. This includes aligned grain
structure, refined grains, functionally graded composition and
microstructure, and preferred crystallographic texture.
The history of the industry is filled with new process developments, bold
entrepreneurs, and daring business ventures. Many new processes and
companies succeeded, but others did not.
1960s to the modern era The early developments in AM, including the commercialization of
stereolithography in 1988, are available in a 55-page document at
wohlersassociates.com/history2022.pdf. Enter “wohlers” for the
password. The document includes developments from the earliest
inventions in the 1960s to the 1990s and covers the industry’s history to
March 2021. This historical document was created exclusively for
readers of this report and is not published elsewhere.
March 2021 to In March 2021, AM Ventures, a German venture capital firm, partnered
March 2022 with KGAL Investment Management to launch a €100 million fund. The
partners will invest in early- and growth-stage AM startups. AM Ventures
has been investing in AM since 2014 and is one of a few companies
focused exclusively on AM-related investments. ExOne, with support
from Ford Motor Company, qualified aluminum 6061 for its BJT process.
ExOne reported that aluminum parts can be produced with 99% density.
Also in April 2021, four 3D-printed metal parts were installed at the
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in Athens, Alabama. Oak Ridge National
Laboratory (ORNL) produced the parts. They are believed to be the first
3D-printed parts installed on a nuclear reactor. The parts were certified for
use and replaced conventionally cast and machined parts.
Also in May 2021, 3D Systems sold its parts service business for about $82
million to Trilantic North America, a private equity firm. The business was
created through a series of acquisitions beginning in 2009. From then until
2015, 3D Systems acquired 50 companies, 17 of which were service
providers.
The same month, GE Aviation shipped its 100,000th 3D-printed nozzle for
the LEAP jet engine. Metal PBF was used to produce part of the nozzle. The
effort is part of GE Aviation’s joint venture with Safran, a French
manufacturer of engines. Up to 19 nozzles are used in each engine. The
nozzle weighs 25% less than one made conventionally and lasts five times
longer. Desktop Metal announced its acquisition of ExOne in a stock and
cash transaction valued at $575 million. Both companies produce metal
BJT systems and were competitors prior to the acquisition.
In September 2021, HP announced that more than 100 million parts had
been produced by its customers. 3D Systems acquired manufacturing
software company Oqton for $180 million in cash and stock. Oqton’s
manufacturing execution system is designed to improve workflow and
increase AM efficiency.
ORNL 3D printed a concrete wall with internal cooling channels. The aim of
the project is to circulate chilled water to cool buildings in warm climates.
Preliminary results showed an energy saving of 8%.
Relativity Space completed testing of the first stage of its Terran 1 rocket.
The company uses proprietary 3D printing technology to produce rocket
parts up to 7.6 m (25 ft) in height. Launcher announced the successful hot-
fire testing of a 3D-printed thrust chamber for its E-2 rocket engine. The
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducted the test
at its Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
The same month, the winter Olympics were held in Beijing, China. At the
competition, AM helped teams improve performance. In speed skating, the
Chinese short-track speed skating team used skates with 3D-printed
frames for the blade that were produced by Farsoon. In bobsledding, luge,
and skeleton, BMW helped the German team optimize their shoe spikes to
better grip the ice.
Industry survey Wohlers Associates receives data and insight from industry insiders,
producers of machines and materials, service providers, and others. The
information provided from these sources helps to create unparalleled
breadth and depth of information for this report. It supports the tracking
of the AM industry, estimating its size, and forecasting the future. No other
resource in the AM industry provides this level of information and detail.
The results and takeaways from this report are based on 27 years of
collecting and analyzing data and market intelligence.
For this edition of the report, 117 service providers worldwide responded
to a detailed questionnaire. Also, 114 manufacturers of AM systems (both
industrial and desktop systems) and 29 producers of third-party materials
responded. This extensive body of data was used for this and other
sections of the report. These companies provided information based on
knowledge of their customers and the AM industry. In total, 260 companies
responded to our request for data and information for this edition of the
report.
Of the 117 service providers that responded, 39 are from the U.S., 12 from
Germany, and seven each from India and Italy. Six are from the UK and five
from Canada and Switzerland. Four each are from Belgium, South Africa,
and Sweden, and three each from New Zealand and Turkey. Two each are
from Australia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, and Spain. One each is from
Austria, Brazil, Hungary, Israel, Korea, the Netherlands, Portugal, Saudi
Arabia, Taiwan, and Thailand. The following chart shows a breakdown of
the top contributing service providers by country.
Of the 114 system manufacturers that provided data, 22 are from the U.S.,
15 from Germany, and 11 from China. Seven are from Italy, six from
Austria, five from Spain, and four each from France and Korea. Three each
are from the Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, and Turkey. Two each are from
Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, India, Israel, Japan,
Poland, Switzerland, and Taiwan. One each is from Argentina, Brazil,
Colombia, Finland, Iran, Luxembourg, South Africa, and the UK. The
following shows a breakdown of the contributing system manufacturers by
geographic region.
For this edition of the report, service providers were asked, “How do
your customers use the AM parts you provide?” (See the previous
section titled “Industry survey” for the location of these companies.)
System manufacturers were asked, “How do your customers use the
parts built on your systems?” The survey included the following
options:
Prototyping
▪ Cosmetic/appearance and presentation models and visual aids
▪ Functional parts for engineering fit and function testing, assembly, etc.
Tooling
▪ Polymer and sand patterns, cores, and molds
▪ Metal molds/dies created directly on metal AM systems
▪ Jigs, fixtures, drill/cutting guides, gauges, assembly aids, etc.
Final part production
▪ End-use parts (sold to and used by a final customer)
Education/research
Other
Prototyping Concept modeling and prototyping were the first applications of AM. The
following image is the first 3D-printed part sent to Wohlers Associates. It
is a model of an automotive distributor cap, built by 3D Systems in 1987,
about a year before commercial (non-beta) machine sales began. Today’s
automobiles have electronic ignition and do not use a distributor to
connect the sparkplug wires to the rotor. What has not changed over the
years is the use of AM to create prototypes quickly. The quality of 3D-
printed models and prototypes has improved significantly with time.
Functional prototypes are generally created to test form, fit, and function.
They represent 24.4% of applications. These models help remove
ambiguity and abstraction by physically demonstrating an assembly and
use. They often help validate designs and identify issues with tolerance, fit,
alignment, and function before the final parts are manufactured.
Identifying these issues at an early stage can save thousands or even
millions of dollars in redesign, tooling costs, and scrap.
One of the most exciting developments is how some companies are using
AM for both prototyping and series production applications. 3D-printed
parts initially support prototyping and testing and later are manufactured
for production. One benefit to this approach is using the same process and
material for both prototyping and manufacturing. With most product
development and manufacturing, this does not occur. While prototyping a
design, a company can also test the manufacturing process and workflow,
including methods of post-processing and part inspection.
Tooling According to ISO/ASTM 52900, prototype tooling includes molds, dies, and
other devices used for prototyping purposes. This type of tooling is also
referred to as “bridge tooling” or “soft tooling.” Included is tooling to test
designs and/or produce end-use parts while final production tooling is
being manufactured. Rapid tooling is intended to produce tools or tooling
parts with reduced lead time compared to conventional manufacturing.
The 3D printing of master patterns for mold creation has been applied for
decades. Any AM technology can be used for this process, but VPP creates
parts that require minimal post-processing. Silicone rubber is poured onto
and around an AM master pattern to create a soft tool used to cast multiple
urethane parts. The casting process may use a two-part thermoset polymer
that mimics the properties of injection-molded thermoplastics.
AM can also be used to produce other types of tools, including jigs, fixtures,
templates, gauges, and drill and cutting guides. These tools are typically
geometrically complex and made in low quantities, making AM a good fit.
This type of tooling can be expensive and time consuming to produce using
conventional methods. Medical cutting and drilling guides follow organic
contours and are difficult to produce economically using conventional
manufacturing.
3D-printed wax pattern being attached to an investment casting tree (left) and
final metal necklace (right), courtesy of Sergio Zenere and DWS Systems
BJT can produce molds and cores for sand casting. The following image
shows a large 3D-printed sand mold. Metal-casting processes are explained
in detail at wohlersassociates.com/castmetal2022.pdf.
Final part production Arguably the most interesting application of AM is producing final parts.
It represents 33.7% of all AM applications, based on research by Wohlers
Associates. AM can be used for short-run production using polymers,
composites, metals, ceramics, and biomaterials.
The following part is a 3D-printed brake rotor for the Dodge Challenger
Hellcat created by Ceramic Disc Technology. The company uses lattice
structures to optimize performance. The rotor weight was reduced by
62%, coupled with a thermal conductivity improvement of five times
compared to a standard cast-iron brake rotor.
Many more examples of final part production are found in Part 4 and other
places throughout this report.
The following image shows a portable toilet with major parts 3D printed
from recycled plastics. One was produced and used at a construction site.
Many additional applications of AM are found throughout this report.
Industries Companies were asked to indicate which industries they serve and the
approximate revenues (as a percentage) they receive from each. (See the
previous section titled “Industry survey” for details on the companies
that received the questionnaire and their location.) The following bar
graph shows the results. The leading industrial sector is aerospace,
followed by medical/dental and automotive. The “Other” category
includes mining, chemicals, water treatment, timber/paper, and various
other industries that do not fit into the named categories.
Aerospace The aerospace industry was an early adopter of AM. Boeing and Bell
Helicopter began to use polymer AM parts for non-structural production
applications in the mid-1990s. Airbus, GE Aviation, Honeywell Aerospace,
Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman are also major users of AM.
The European Space Agency, NASA, Relativity Space, and SpaceX are
using AM to produce igniters, injectors, combustion chambers, and fuel
tanks for rockets.
Most commercial aircraft have 3D-printed parts, but they are not visible in
the cabin. They include airducts, brackets, clips, and devices to secure
wires and cables. According to Melissa Orme, vice president of additive
manufacturing at Boeing, the company has more than 70,000 AM parts
flying on commercial and military aircraft and satellites.
Deutsche Aircraft will relaunch the dual propeller 328 regional aircraft in
2024. The company is working with Materialise prior to its release to
optimize spare parts for AM. The following image shows a polymer
housing with integrated snap-fittings made by PBF. Deutsche Aircraft is
planning to use AM to reduce spare part inventory.
Boeing was one of the first major aircraft manufacturers to use AM for final
part production. Tens of thousands of polymer PBF parts are installed on
commercial and military aircraft. The company has worked with Stratasys
on solutions for producing large-scale MEX parts. In October 2020, Boeing
qualified the Antero 800NA polyetherketoneketone (PEKK)-based
thermoplastic from Stratasys for flight-ready parts.
To assemble the XB-1 aircraft, Boom Supersonic 3D-printed 700 MEX drill
guides. The following image illustrates how the company uses these
devices while assembling the fuselage. The company claims that 3D
printing a typical drill block in-house shortens lead time from weeks to
days and reduces material cost by about $3,700.
Medical Every human body is different, yet most medical devices are currently
by Andy Christensen made in standard sizes. AM offers new methods and possibilities in
and Nicole Wake medical device design and production. Medical applications of AM
continue to develop and grow, particularly for personalized batches and
complex designs. As a result, medical applications of AM are widespread
in hospitals and the medical device industry.
3D-printed anatomical models are typically created at full scale and used
by surgeons before and during surgery. According to surgeons, these
models:
Orthopedic implants used today are made in standard sizes. They are
typically made using traditional manufacturing such as machining,
investment casting, and injection molding. However, a growing number of
polymer and metal medical devices in serial production are being made
using AM. As of February 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
had cleared more than 250 medical devices made by AM, according to a
representative of the FDA’s Additive Manufacturing Working Group.
The medical device industry uses AM for complex, porous metal structures
that traditional manufacturing cannot create. These structures promote
bone in-growth and are lightweight. They help with stress shielding, which
is the improper transfer of load from surrounding bone. AM is a more
flexible method for manufacturing these parts. The most common
applications for AM in serial implant production are:
Dentistry The dental industry has been a sector with new applications for many
years. AM is well suited for dentistry because the parts are small,
complex, custom, and of high value. The design and service requirements
of 3D-printed dental parts can vary widely for each application.
The creation and availability of high-quality 3D model data have driven the
adoption of AM in the dental community. Data can be acquired from dental
forms, intraoral scans, and radiological imaging of the patient’s jaw.
Metal is the preferred material for copings, which serve as the basis for
crowns and bridges. Metal is also used for dental prosthetics, such as
partial denture frames. The most common material is cobalt-chrome alloy,
a material well known for its strength, corrosion resistance, and
biocompatibility. Printed cobalt-chrome copings form the base of ceramic
restorations. Millions of metal copings are produced by AM annually.
Many metal PBF system manufacturers offer machines with small build
volumes optimized for dental applications. They include 3D Systems, EOS,
GE Additive, Sisma, SLM Solutions, and Trumpf. Chinese metal PBF
manufacturers Bright Laser Technologies, Eplus 3D, and Longyuan offer
small-volume systems at prices that compete with machines manufactured
in other parts of the world.
Lithoz offers a VPP system that uses zirconia for dental applications. XJet
produces an MJT system that prints ceramic materials using its
nanoparticle process.
Dental implants are also being 3D printed using ceramic VPP. The
3DCeram Sinto C3600 Ultimate ceramic 3D printer has a build volume of
600 x 600 x 300 mm (23.6 x 23.6 x 11.8 in). It was designed to manufacture
large parts and for production applications. The following image shows
three ceramic implants. With implants being so small, 3DCeram Sinto can
manufacture 1,823 of them in a 37.4-hour build. The parts require
debinding and sintering.
Automotive The automotive sector was one of the earliest users of AM for
prototyping. Automotive companies continue to use AM for design
validation, fit and function testing, and some types of tooling. The
sector’s use of AM for final part production is mostly limited to low
production volumes. BJT system manufacturers have claimed that the
technology will help penetrate the automotive market for series
production parts. Wohlers Associates has seen few examples of this,
likely due to repeatability, dimensional accuracy, and reliability
requirements.
reduced by more than 70%. The 3D-printed tool weighs 15 kg (33 lbs),
compared to 34 kg (75 lbs) for the original, eliminating the need for lift
assistance.
Aluminum bracket (left, metallic), air ducts (middle, blue), and shifter medallion (right)
for 2022 Cadillac Blackwing V-series vehicle, courtesy of GM
As of January 2022, the BMW Group has produced more than 350,000
series production parts using AM. This is in partnership with Germany’s
Federal Ministry of Education and Research project called Industrialisation
and Digitalisation of AM for Automotive Series Processes. The goal is to
produce at least 50,000 parts annually and 10,000 or more spare parts.
MINI, a part of the BMW Group, used 3D printing to produce the one-off
MINI STRIP, co-created with Paul Smith, a British icon. The car’s front and
rear aprons (bottom perimeter), shown in the following image, were 3D
printed using a large-scale MEX system. The layer lines were left
unsmoothed for visual effect.
Porsche, a part of the Volkswagen Group, released a bucket seat with a 3D-
printed section below the upholstery. It is shown in the following image.
Using AM, the company claims the seat will experience little material
fatigue, making it perform better for longer. The bucket seat can be added
to the Boxster, Cayman, and 911 models. In 2022, the company is expected
to offer the seat as a standard upgrade. Customers can choose between
soft, medium, and hard stiffness.
Drill positioning guide (top), car logo positioning jig (bottom, left), and
hood support tool (bottom, right), courtesy of Nissan and BCN3D
Consumer products Consumer goods cover a broad range of products, including personal
electronics, appliances, eyewear, home decor, apparel, and children’s
toys. These industries typically produce parts in large volumes, and
product life cycles are relatively short. 3D-printed jewelry, personal
accessories, lighting designs, and sculptures are available online for
anyone to purchase.
The following images show a woman’s shoe that is 100% recyclable. The
company uses MJF from HP and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) from
BASF to produce the insert shown in the image on the left. Using
traditional shoe making techniques, leather is attached to the sole without
glue, making recycling easier. The wood-like appearance is created using
hydrographics.
TPU insert (left) for the Grace woman’s shoe (right), courtesy of Hilos
IKEA has been working with 3D printing for many years for prototypes and
experimental projects. In 2021, the company introduced FLAMTRÄD, a line
of decorative 3D-printed products shown in the following image. These
products are available for purchase at IKEA’s Germany website.
Many other consumer products are using AM. Aectual, a Dutch company, is
using MEX to create large-scale decor and room dividers. For some time,
designers have used 3D-printed parts for light fixtures, owing to their
combination of optical properties and freeform shapes. The following
image shows a hanging lighting feature designed by FutureWave and made
using recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The organic shape
distorts the LED lighting.
Education and AM has become a mainstay within education and research. Many
academic research universities, colleges, high schools, and middle schools have access to
low-cost 3D printers for students. Educators are learning how to use AM
to support science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
Power and energy The power and energy sector represents technologies used to generate
and transfer power from natural resources. This includes oil, gas, wind,
solar, and other sources. The industry has been quietly adopting AM for
the past several years.
Within oil and gas, parts require high precision and must handle harsh
environments. EnergyX, formerly known as Bakke Oil Tools, has certified
an Inconel 718 nozzle part made by AM. It is used as part of a downhole
cleanout tool, as seen in the following image. It is the first 3D-printed part
from EnergyX to become fully certified.
Transporting oil can be challenging and costly. The following image shows
a spare part centrifugal pump shaft for the ConocoPhillips Polar Endeavor
oil tanker. The spare part was made by a consortium including 3D
Metalforge, the American Bureau of Shipping, and Sembcorp Marine. The
part passed on-board testing and were inspected remotely by ABS. The
consortium also tested a nozzle for the brine/air ejector and a flexible
coupling for a sanitation pump.
Government and military Globally, governments and branches of the military are investing in AM
research, education, and infrastructure. Government and military
applications typically involve relatively low volumes of parts. Interest in
AM is driven by the need for less costly spare parts, getting parts more
quickly, custom product design, and personalization.
The U.S. DOD published its strategy, vision, and goals for AM across all
branches of the military. As a part of the effort, DOD created the Joint
Additive Manufacturing Working Group to focus on implementing its
strategy.
Large VPP systems have been in widespread use for many years because
they offer good feature detail, print large parts, and are affordable. Larger
digital light processing (DLP)-based VPP machines are an attractive option.
However, the need to produce and remove many support structures,
coupled with other lengthy post-processing requirements, is limiting their
adoption.
Low-cost desktop MEX machines and smaller DLP-based VPP systems are a
useful starting point for companies wishing to produce 3D-printed scaled
models. They provide an understanding of the workflow and how AM can
meet challenges. However, these machines are unlikely to provide the
quality and capacity required for substantial commercial applications.
Typically, CP materials are not standard concrete since they do not contain
the typical proportion of stone aggregate. The material may be more
accurately described as mortar. The material must be sufficiently fluid to
flow through an extrusion head, but it must also harden quickly to avoid
slumping under the weight of subsequent layers. Fast setting additives
may impair long-term performance, so printing speed is balanced against
overall material properties.
Church with curved 3D-printed walls that would otherwise be difficult and
expensive to produce, courtesy of Lake California Community Church
Other industries Many industrial sectors are embracing AM, beyond those described in
previous sections. They include art, awards, advertising, fashion, and
furniture. AM is used for different reasons within each industry. For
example, AM is used to create interesting art that would be difficult or
impossible to create in other ways. AM is used for small production runs
of personalized gifts and awards.
Myths and In the history of AM, many myths, misconceptions, and untruths have
been shared in writing, at events, and in conversations. The following are
misconceptions among those that continue to be shared and believed. Not all are myths,
but rather a misunderstanding of the technology, process, or application.
AM will replace Some have suggested that most products will be made by AM in the future.
The cost of producing AM parts will decline in the coming years, but it will
conventional
likely remain a more expensive option for producing parts in high
manufacturing quantities. This will especially be the case for low-value products with
simple shapes and features. The layer-by-layer nature of AM makes it
relatively slow, which contributes greatly to the cost.
Complexity is free For years, many have said that AM offers “complexity for free.” It is true that
building parts layer-by-layer is largely independent of part complexity, but
other elements of the start-to-finish process are not. For example, it takes
more time, talent, and effort to create a complex design compared to a
simple one, which adds cost. Removing support material, finishing surfaces,
and inspecting AM parts with complex features can be difficult and costly.
Topology optimization can reduce material and weight and often results in
a shape that can only be produced affordably on an AM system. Lattice and
mesh structures can further reduce weight and improve product
performance.
Many pre- and post-processing tasks involve manual experience and skill.
When preparing a build, it is important to determine the best orientation
of the parts and where and what type of support structures and anchors
should be used. Using the right machine build parameters contributes to
part quality. Different operators will often produce parts with different
results, even when using the same machine and material, because of the
many variables involved.
Most AM systems AM machines range in price from about $200 to more than $2 million. Build
are similar volumes span from smaller than the tip of an ink pen to the size of a house
or larger. Also wide-ranging are the specific processes, energy sources, and
types of materials and forms in which they are provided. Materials for AM
can be powders, liquids, filaments, wires, pellets, or sheets, depending on
the process.
Desktop 3D printers are incredibly valuable tools for creating and testing
new ideas. Nearly every engineer or designer should have a desktop 3D
printer near them. However, they should also have access to industrial AM
machines when jobs can benefit from them.
AM is environmentally Good arguments for the sustainability of AM consider the entire life cycle of
friendly the parts being produced. Sustainability has several components, including
1) the energy consumed, 2) water requirements, and 3) the carbon
footprint. Sources of energy consumption include feedstock creation,
operation of the AM system, post-processing, recycling, and scrap. Other
energy considerations include potential savings while a part is in service
and end-of-life reclamation.
The energy savings of a part while in service can have a large impact. For
example, a topology-optimized AM part that weighs less than a
conventionally manufactured part can consume less energy in service if it
is transported. This is particularly applicable for the automotive and
aerospace industries. Consider a lightweight part on an airplane over a
service life of 20 years. The result can be a significant savings in fuel
consumption.
Few materials are This myth may be true in some instances. Materials for any manufacturing
available for AM process, including AM, must be available in the proper form and perform
acceptably in service. Due to the varied feedstock shapes, binding, and
deposition methods, materials for AM vary widely.
Some processes, such as polymer MJT and VPP, rely on specialized base
materials. Others, such as BJT and sheet lamination (SHL), can work with
almost any base material. It is a reality that much of design and
engineering is related to material choice based on historical use. An
alternative is to consider the function of a material when coupled with
good design for AM.
Metal AM produces A surprising number of people believe that AM can produce parts at a lower
cost than conventional manufacturing. In some cases, this may be true, but
parts inexpensively
AM is generally more expensive, especially as part size and production
volume increase. AM is usually cost-effective when it adds value to a
product beyond what is possible with conventional manufacturing.
AM parts are inferior to Articles and research studies often highlight differences between the
conventional parts properties of polymer and metal AM parts and those produced by
conventional manufacturing. This should not be viewed negatively for AM.
Polymer AM parts can be made with properties that are acceptable or may
even exceed those obtained by conventional manufacturing. The properties
may be different, but that does not mean they are inferior. With the right
post-processing and heat treatment, metal AM parts can match forged or
wrought materials and exceed the properties of cast parts. Nearly any
material with known, reliable properties may be used if the part is properly
designed to take those properties into account.
For AM to add value, it is important to design for AM. If the design reduces
part numbers, material and weight, and improves product performance,
the outcome may be more favorable than suggested by the material
properties. In fact, a cost reduction in material and weight can offer the
option of using a stronger and more expensive material. This can result in
improved functionality. The total material cost of production may be lower
because less material is used, and it is lighter in weight.
Every home will Some believe that 3D printers will eventually be found in most homes to
produce all types of products. This is highly unlikely in the foreseeable
have a 3D printer
future. One reason is that most modern products integrate a range of
plastics, metals, and electronics. High-end systems may be capable of
processing a combination of materials in the future, but they will be
expensive and require special training and expertise to operate. Even the
most basic desktop 3D printers require design skills, software tools, and
continuous maintenance beyond what most consumers will accept.
This part of the Wohlers Report details the seven AM processes and
available materials, including a section on third-party material producers.
AM machines and materials are only one part of the value chain. Many
other important processes, technologies, and businesses support the AM
industry. Parts 1, 4, and 7 of this report detail many activities surrounding
AM for series production and other applications.
Nearly all commercially available AM systems fit into one of the seven
categories. One exception is cold spray. Future processes could emerge
that do not fit into one of the categories. The ISO/ASTM 52900 standard
can be updated to support changes in the future. This is the responsibility
of the ISO/ASTM Joint Group 51 on terminology for AM.
MEX systems are often a less expensive option and are relatively easy to
operate, compared to other AM processes. The process does require
support structures for overhanging features. Most systems are equipped
with only one extrusion head, which typically extrudes one material per
layer.
Historically, MEX parts are anisotropic, meaning that their properties vary
depending on the test direction. The most common anisotropy is due to
differences in the structure of the material extruded on the “road path” and
the interface between road paths. Porosity arising from incomplete
feedstock filling a space is another cause for anisotropy. Typically, MEX
parts have similar properties in the x-y direction, but different properties
in the z direction. Bond3D claims it can produce isotropic parts in
polyether ether ketone (PEEK) without porosity using a proprietary
pressure-controlled MEX process. The company reports that tensile bars
printed in the x, y, and z direction have the same tensile strength.
Metals are a relatively new material for MEX. BCN3D, Desktop Metal, and
Markforged offer systems in which the thermoplastic filament is
impregnated with small metal particles. Parts must be debound after
printing is complete, followed by sintering to bond the metal particles. This
results in a nearly dense part. The processing of metal by MEX is relatively
slow compared to other metal AM processes.
Vat photopolymerization VPP is a process in which liquid photopolymer is placed in a container and
selectively cured by light-activated polymerization. VPP was the first
patented and commercialized AM process, initially called
stereolithography. The first systems used an ultraviolet (UV) laser and x-y
scanning mirrors on computer-controlled galvanometers. The system
scanned a low-power UV light beam over the top surface of the liquid
thermoset photopolymer, polymerizing (curing) and adhering the layer to
the previous one.
Schematic of VPP,
courtesy of Steffen Ritter
Among the companies that offer industrial DLP VPP systems are 3DCeram
Sinto, Carbon, Coobx, DWS, Lithoz, Novafab, Prodways, and Rapid Shape.
The proprietary MovingLight technology from Prodways employs LEDs
and DLP technology in a curing unit that moves above the vat of resin on a
gantry system. Axtra3D is developing a process that employs DLP to cure
the majority of a layer and a UV laser to polymerize the perimeters.
Many low-cost desktop VPP systems have been introduced since Formlabs
commercialized the Form 1 in 2013. They include the Anycubic Photon
Mono series, Formlabs Form3+, Prusa SL1S, and Voxelab Proxima 6.0.
The VPP process can produce ceramic and metal parts. Microparticle
powder is added to the photopolymer and becomes suspended in the resin.
The parts must go through debinding and sintering to produce a near-full-
density ceramic or metal part. The index of refraction of the particles and
resin must be matched to prevent multiple reflections of the laser at resin-
particle interfaces.
“Green” microfluidics Y-connector (left) and fully cured glass structure (right)
produced by two-photon VPP, courtesy of Nanoscribe and Glassomer
Powder bed fusion PBF is a process in which thermal energy selectively fuses regions of a
powder bed surface. Thermal energy from a laser or electron beam melts a
portion or all of the powder that the beam contacts. The area adheres to
the previous layer and becomes solid as the material cools. Once the layer
has been fused, a new layer of powder is added.
A wide range of polymers and metals are suitable for PBF. Typically,
polymers are semi-crystalline thermoplastics, including PA11 (nylon),
PA12, and PEEK. This polymer class exhibits an unusual melting and
crystallization behavior. This results in part forming with virtually no
residual stress when the powder bed is heated.
For metal PBF, commercial feedstocks are typically metals that can be
easily fusion-welded or cast. Support structures are required to anchor
parts and features to the build plate. Thermal gradients in the build
chamber are high, which leads to significant thermal stresses. The thick
build plate serves as a heat sink and prevents parts from warping during
the build. PBF is a thermal process involving repeated melting and
solidification cycles, causing potential problems with residual stress and
heat-induced distortion.
PBF systems are relatively complex and expensive compared to most other
AM processes, especially for metals. Operating costs are comparatively
high due to facility requirements for inert gas and safe powder-handling.
High feedstock cost and polymer recycling issues also increase operating
costs. Efforts are underway by many companies to reduce the time and
cost of material handling and post-processing.
Parts made using PBF are increasingly being used for final manufacturing
applications. This is because the process creates favorable part quality and
desirable mechanical properties. Also, a relatively large range of metal
powders is available. Equipment manufacturers are incrementally
including process-control capabilities in their machines to ensure
repeatable results. These matters are discussed at length in Part 4 of this
report.
The energy source for most metal PBF processes is a laser or an electron
beam. Laser-based metal PBF systems generally produce a better surface
finish and finer features compared to electron beam systems. Electron
beam systems are typically more expensive but build parts faster than
laser systems.
Many companies offer PBF systems. 3D Systems has sold machines using
selective-laser-sintering technology, invented at the University of Texas at
Austin, for many years. The company acquired Phenix Systems in 2013 and
LayerWise in 2014. 3D Systems’ metal PBF machines are derived from
both companies. EOS also pioneered systems for polymers and metals. The
company calls its metal process direct metal laser sintering. Each EOS
machine model is dedicated to a specific class of material. The “P” and “M”
models process polymer and metal powders, respectively.
Many other companies around the world sell PBF systems. They include
Aspect of Japan, Intech Additive Solutions of India, Sinterit of Poland,
Sintratec of Switzerland, and XYZprinting of Taiwan. Chinese companies
offering PBF systems include Bright Laser Technologies, Longyuan,
Farsoon, TPM3D, and Huake 3D.
Material jetting MJT uses inkjet print heads to deposit droplets of build material. The
droplets are dispensed selectively as one or more print heads move across
the build area. Feedstocks are typically photopolymers or wax-like
substances to build parts that can be used as investment-casting patterns.
Among the companies that manufacture MJT systems are 3D Systems,
Mimaki, Nano Dimension, Solidscape, Stratasys, and XJet.
MJT systems often use multi-nozzle print heads to increase build speed
and to print different materials. This facilitates the printing of sacrificial
support material, a second build material, or even graded material
combinations. The Connex3 and J-series PolyJet systems from Stratasys
produce parts by simultaneously jetting three different build materials.
Parts, or regions of parts, are built in a range of colors and material
properties. This is accomplished by controlling the proportions of the
three materials. The materials are photopolymers that cure with UV light
exposure as they are deposited.
Binder jetting BJT is a process in which a liquid bonding agent is selectively deposited to
join fine particles in a powder bed. The process is similar to MJT in its use
of inkjet print heads. The difference is that with BJT, the dispensed
material is not the main build material, but rather a liquid that binds
particles and layers of powder into the desired shape.
The BJT process was originally developed at MIT and was called 3D
printing. The first commercial spinoff company, Soligen, was founded in
1991. Early licensees of MIT’s technology included ExOne (originally
ExtrudeHone), Soligen, Specific Surface, Therics, and Z Corp. (acquired by
3D Systems in 2012). After the expiration of the original BJT patents,
companies such as Desktop Metal, Digital Metal, GE Additive, and HP
announced BJT systems for producing metal parts. In all cases, post-
processing is necessary to remove the binder and to form a strong, dense
metal part.
Systems from ExOne jet a liquid binder onto the surface of metal powder
or sand. Metal parts produced by BJT require debinding and sintering in a
furnace to produce usable parts. Sintered metal parts shrink, often in the
range of 20%. Due to this significant shrinking, it can be difficult to
accurately build large parts and some complex features. To reduce
distortion and produce a fully dense part, the porous metal can be
infiltrated with a second, lower-melting-point metal. A popular example is
stainless steel infiltrated with bronze. ExOne offers large build volumes for
both sand and metal. These machines are capable of building parts at
relatively high speeds, although for metal parts, it is important to consider
the additional time for post-processing.
Voxeljet offers large systems with wide print heads. The powder materials
used by Voxeljet include polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and foundry
sand. The binder reacts at room temperature but must cure in the powder
bed for a few hours before the parts can be removed.
3DEO has developed a proprietary BJT process that uses MIM powder. A
binding agent is deposited across the entire build area. Up to eight CNC
end mills cut the topology. The milling process can be one layer at a time
or up to 10 layers to improve surface finish. The following image shows a
bolt release for a rifle measuring 19 x 4 x 12 mm (0.75 x 0.16 x 0.47 in).
The part cost was reduced by 25%, with an annual savings of $118,000,
according to 3DEO.
Directed energy The DED process uses focused thermal energy to fuse materials by melting
as they are being deposited. A laser or an electron beam usually serves as
deposition
the energy source, and the material is a metal powder or wire. The process
produces near-net-shape parts, usually requiring machining to achieve
required tolerances.
The DED process offers unique capabilities. For example, more than one
material can be deposited simultaneously, making functionally graded
parts possible. Also, most DED systems use a 4- or 5-axis motion system to
position the deposition head. The process is not limited to horizontal
layers. For example, it is possible to produce curved layers with DED. This
capability makes the process suitable for adding material to an existing
part, such as repairing worn areas or adding features to a part or tool. The
DED process is well suited for producing large metal parts.
Sciaky offers a DED process in which an electron beam is the energy source
and the feedstock is in wire form. A Ukrainian company named xBeam has
developed a DED process that uses electron beam energy and metal wire
as feedstock. The xBeam process involves a unique hollow cone beam in a
vacuum for melting material, including reactive and refractory metals.
Digital Alloys has developed Joule, a wire-based DED system. The print
head runs electrical current through the feedstock to melt it to previous
layers. The process resembles wire-feed welding but creates no arc. Norsk
Titanium has developed rapid plasma deposition, a variation of DED using
a plasma arc to melt titanium alloy wire.
Most hybrid AM systems combine DED with CNC milling. Machining helps
produce walls and features with tight tolerances. Many companies have
introduced systems since 2013, including DMG Mori, DMS, and Hermle.
DED process (left) and final machined part (right), courtesy of DMG Mori
Sheet lamination SHL is a process in which sheets of material are bonded to form a part.
Materials can be adhesive-coated papers that form a part when laminated.
Metal tapes and foils are used to create metal parts. Layer contours are
typically generated by a machining process either before or after a layer of
material is deposited.
Materials The two major categories of AM materials are polymers and metals. A
variety of filled and composite materials are also available, as well as
ceramics and cermets (ceramic-metal hybrids). It is helpful to group
materials into functional categories and material types. Examples include
materials used as patterns for investment- and sand-casting applications.
Polymers Many polymer options are available for AM, but offerings are small
compared to those for conventional processing. AM materials may be
selected based on tensile strength, rigidity, biocompatibility, glass
transition temperature, color, and transparency. Additional properties
include moisture resistance, sterilization, fire retardancy, and smoke and
toxicity emissions. Materials range from hard and stiff to soft, rubber-like
elastomers.
Polymers are classified into two groups based on their behavior at high
temperatures. Thermoplastics can be repeatedly melted, cooled, and
solidified. They retain their properties, although some degradation can
occur, particularly with repeated high-temperature exposure. Thermoset
polymers are permanently cured once they are polymerized. After
The materials available for low-cost MEX 3D printers were limited to ABS
and PLA until 2012 when Taulman3D introduced a nylon copolymer
filament in diameters of 1.75 mm (0.069 in) and 3 mm (0.12 in). Since
then, filament offerings have increased considerably. Users can purchase
high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), PC, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and
polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Soft, rubber-like materials are also available,
including soft PLA, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and thermoplastic
elastomer (TPE).
Taulman3D offers t-glase, a tough, clear PET material, which has been
cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for food contact and
containers. German RepRap offers a polypropylene (PP) filament that is
said to meet food-grade regulations and standards. TreeD makes a range of
“exotic” filaments, including clay-filled and bone-like materials.
PA is the most common polymer for PBF and is available in PA12, PA11,
PA6, and other grades. Nylon is a synthetic PA and the two terms are often
used interchangeably. PA powders cannot be reused indefinitely. With
PBF, the build chamber is heated to a temperature just below the melting
point of PA, which slightly alters its thermal and mechanical properties.
Surface roughness increases if the powder is recycled for many builds
without adding new powder. After each print, powder can be sieved and
reused, but it is typically mixed with 30–50% “virgin” powder to produce
parts of acceptable quality.
Other polymers for PBF include polystyrene and PP, as well as glass-,
carbon-, mineral-, and aluminum-filled PA powders. EOS offers
polyaryletherketone (PAEK), which is said to offer favorable strength,
wear resistance, high-temperature stability, fire, smoke, and toxicity
properties.
The materials used in the MJT and VPP processes are mainly thermoset
polymers. They are typically proprietary acrylics, acrylates, and epoxies.
Most of these liquid materials are formulated to cure when exposed to UV
radiation. Some resins cure when exposed to light wavelengths in the
visible spectrum.
New polymer products Despite the challenges from the pandemic, producers of materials continue
by David Espalin to develop and certify new polymer AM products. They are being used for
both industrial and desktop AM systems and applications.
Several new materials have been introduced for large-scale AM. Sabic’s
LNP Thermocomp DC0041XA51 material is a PC copolymer resin filled
with 20% carbon fiber. It is designed for use in large-scale pellet-fed MEX
systems. This material is compliant with European fire safety standards,
making it suitable for the interior of trains.
Covestro introduced Arnitel AM3001 (P), a TPU powder for laser PBF
systems. Due to its soft rubber-like characteristics, it can be used in sports
and lifestyle products, including footwear and personal protective
equipment. The material meets the requirements of the European toy
safety directive.
Carbon released EPU 41 Black, a material for its DLP-based VPP system.
The elastomer is used for engineering-grade lattices in applications that
require energy return or cushioning, such as shoe soles and cycling
saddles. Carbon also released Lucitone Digital Value, a material designed
for rapid printing of low-cost dentures. A variety of colors are available.
The material meets the requirements of ISO 22112, the industry
specification covering denture products.
Stratasys released a new suite of VeroUltra resins for use in its PolyJet MJT
systems. According to the company, the material provides uniformity and
contrast and produces parts in realistic colors. Stratasys has also released
the Elastico rubber-like material for its MJT machines. It offers elongation
at break of about 360–400%.
Polymer pricing The cost of AM polymers is typically much higher than equivalent
materials for conventional manufacturing. Most photopolymers,
thermoplastics, and composites for industrial AM systems fall within the
range of $40–250 per kg ($18–114 per lb). By contrast, thermoplastics
for injection molding are typically $2–10 per kg ($0.91–4.55 per lb). This
means AM polymers are 4–100 times more expensive than polymers for
injection molding. Some filaments for low-cost desktop MEX printers are
commonly available for $20 per kg ($9.10 per lb).
The following table provides estimated price ranges for 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of
polymer for AM. The prices account for variations in the quantity
purchased, product quality, and material producer. The MJF systems from
HP require additional consumables, including fusing and detailing agents,
cleaning rolls, and print heads, which increase operating costs. The low
end of the powder price range presented in the following is for companies
that operate the Jet Fusion 5220 system from HP. The cost of MJF powder
doubles for companies that operate the 5200 system.
Powders
PA12 $30−110
Glass-filled PA12 $27−100
PA11 $30−120
TPU $50−140
Filaments
ABS $20−500
PLA $20−500
ULTEM 9085 $140−890
Photopolymer
General purpose $100−1,000
Elastomeric $200−800
Heat resistant $150−800
Source: Doug Collins and Olaf Diegel
A major reason for the high cost of AM polymers is the comparatively small
size of the AM industry. Feedstock for AM is produced in low volumes,
which increases cost. More processing is often needed to prepare materials
for AM, compared to conventional plastics processing.
Metals The range of metals and metal alloys available for AM continues to grow. A
by Ryan Kircher designer can choose from, but is not limited to, the following:
▪ Tool steels
▪ Stainless steels
▪ Commercially pure titanium
▪ Titanium alloys
▪ Aluminum alloys
▪ Nickel-based superalloys
▪ Cobalt-chromium alloys
▪ Copper alloys
▪ Gold
▪ Silver
▪ Platinum
▪ Palladium
▪ Tantalum
▪ Tungsten
▪ Niobium
Many of these materials have been available for some time, but their use
for final part production has been limited. This is mainly due to
qualification and certification requirements in aerospace, healthcare,
energy, and other sectors.
Over the last few years, some companies have qualified/certified specific
alloys. This is a necessary step in the adoption of metal AM in highly
regulated industries. For example, Burloak Technologies certified an
AlSi10Mg alloy to Boeing’s BAC 5673 specification.
BJT systems from Desktop Metal, Digital Metal, ExOne, GE Additive, and HP
are used to produce metal parts. Available materials include stainless steel,
Inconel, cobalt-chrome, bronze, iron, tungsten, and tungsten carbide. With
some processes, the binder is burned out and bronze or another material is
infiltrated into the parts during a post-build furnace cycle. For high-
performance applications where infiltration is not an option, parts are
sintered at high temperature to produce a homogeneous metal part, but at
the cost of substantial shrinking.
BJT parts typically shrink in the range of 20% during the high-temperature
sintering process. Adjustments are made at the design phase to account for
this dimensional change. SHL systems from Fabrisonic bond metal tapes
(i.e., thin sheet materials), such as copper, titanium, and stainless steel,
using ultrasonic welding. Using this process, layers of dissimilar metals can
be joined together.
MEX systems use filaments made from thermoplastic polymer and metal
powder are used to manufacture “green” parts that are similar to those
from BJT systems. These parts undergo a similar debinding and sintering
process to remove the polymer binder and consolidate the metal powder
particles. The amount of binder needed for MEX metal processing is
greater than for BJT. The MEX filament must flow when melted, which
limits metal particle loading.
Nearly all PBF systems have been limited to part manufacturing in a single
material. Alternative processes, such as DED, are used for multi-material
metal AM. Aerosint, a Desktop Metal company, has developed a recoater
mechanism capable of selectively depositing multiple powders in the same
powder bed. The multi-material layers are then consolidated using thermal
energy, such as a laser. This approach can change PBF from a single
material process into one of multiple materials.
Nearly all parts produced using metal AM must undergo heat treatment as
part of post-processing to improve material properties. Reasons for this
include reducing residual stress, refining microstructures, and eliminating
print defects. For demanding applications, such as aerospace and medical
devices, the heat treatment of choice has historically been hot isostatic
pressing (HIP). The process removes porosity and regions of incomplete
fusion.
New metal powders The metal AM powder market began to recover from the pandemic in
by Behrang Poorganji 2021. The aerospace and biomedical industries are major drivers of
growth. AM system manufacturers, service providers, and others have
qualified several alloys. Materials include nickel, copper, aluminum, and
titanium alloys and specialty steels. Near the beginning of 2022, the AM
industry was experiencing long delivery times when purchasing nickel
and copper alloys.
Tekna has launched Ni718, Ni625, and HX nickel alloys through a joint
venture with Aperam Alloys. The venture is known collectively as
Imphytek Powders. Tekna is also building a new powder plant in France
with a capacity of up to 1,500 tons per year. Tekna is expanding its Ti-6Al-
4V production in Canada following successful qualification. Höganäs
opened a plant in Johnstown, Pennsylvania using a modified water-
atomization process to make powders for MIM and BJT. Aubert & Duval
expanded its Pearl Micro powders to include Ni247LC and Ni738LC. The
company also worked with Mitsubishi Power to add MHA3300, a carbide-
strengthened cobalt-based alloy.
Tooling applications are the drivers for new AM steel materials. Daido
Steel introduced DAPTM-AM HTC45 and DAPTM-AM HTC40, which are
H13 tool steel derivatives. The company claims that DAPTM-AM has two
times the thermal conductivity of maraging steel. With this material, a
mold’s life is extended because cooling lines do not crack as easily.
In March 2021, Desktop Metal and Uniformity Labs announced a new 6061
aluminum for BJT. Dense parts were produced after post-process sintering
with an elongation at break of more than 10%. The company claimed that
parts had improved yield strength and ultimate tensile strength compared
to wrought 6061 aluminum alloy with comparable heat treatments. ExOne
and Ford Motor Company have announced a new manufacturing process
for 6061 that combines BJT and high-density sintering. The process is said
to deliver final parts with 99% density and properties comparable to
conventionally manufactured 6061.
Producing powders Metals powders for AM include nickel, cobalt, titanium, specialty steel,
for metal AM aluminum, tungsten, copper, and tantalum. Others are also available.
These metals offer a wide range of metallurgical properties. Among them
are resistance to thermal degradation, corrosion resistance, erosion
resistance, strength and toughness, conductivity, and density.
Powder for metal AM is usually made using a gas atomization process. This
includes vacuum induction melting and plasma atomization. Other
processes include centrifugal atomization and water atomization (WA).
Each of these processes has further subprocesses, depending on the raw
material form and desired control over powder characteristics. Most of
these atomization processes produce spherical powders that have good
powder density and reproducible particle size distribution.
Gas atomization blasts a stream of molten metal with a jet of neutral gas.
This forms the metal into spherical particles.
WA is the most common process for making metal powders for press-and-
sinter and cold-isostatic-pressing applications. WA rapidly solidifies
molten metal droplets using a water spray, resulting in an irregular, non-
▪ High pressure water, instead of gas, is used to break the liquid metal
stream into particles.
▪ Atomization occurs in an air atmosphere instead of in a vacuum or inert
atmosphere. WA is unsuitable for alloys that react in air because
undesirable chemistries or non-metallic inclusions may form.
▪ The WA particle solidification rate is more rapid than gas atomization,
resulting in irregularly shaped particles instead of spherical shapes. This
results in reduced packing density for powder bed AM technologies (i.e.,
PBF and BJT).
WA powder is not generally used for AM. However, the technology could
be advantageous due to its relatively low cost. Non-powder-bed AM
processes, such as cold spray and DED, are less dependent on particle
shape and therefore are better suited to use powder from WA.
The ideal powder shape for metal powder bed AM systems is spherical
because it is beneficial for powder flowability and packing. Spherical
particles form uniform, highly dense layers. This advantage applies equally
to metal PBF and BJT systems. All powder bed AM systems work by
spreading thin layers of powder before selectively fusing or binding each
layer. Powder that spreads well improves part quality.
The particle size for PBF is typically in the range of 30–40 m (0.0012–
0.0016 in). Virtually all non-classified, unsieved powder distributions show
a normal, bell-shaped curve when the logarithm of the particle size is
plotted. Powder distributions contain many more small particles than
large ones. Using a logarithm function transforms the curve to a bell-
shaped normal distribution like the one shown in the following.
Some AM systems that spread powder in very thin layers may require a
smaller particle size because it cannot be larger than the layer thickness.
Some materials, such as aluminum, may have a slightly larger particle size
than steel or titanium. Often, powder manufacturers “classify” powder by
sieving. A sieve is a fine wire mesh with uniform, square openings of a
given size. Powder poured through the sieve is separated into two lots: fine
powder that passes through the sieve and coarser powder that does not
pass through.
Metal powders can be a health hazard if not handled properly. Among the
factors to consider when working with metal AM powders are:
▪ Powder storage, handling, and aging: for almost all alloys, shielding gas,
moisture control, and temperature control are important and strongly
recommended.
Process
Powder process Precursor material Company Alloys typically produced
description
Ni Co Fe Ti Al Cu W Ta
Chemical reduction processes
TiCl4, AlCl3, VCL2, Coogee Kroll-like continuous
MeltFree (TiRO) X
MxCly Titanium Mg reduction
Electrochemical
Al-
FFC MxOy Metalysis reduction, molten X X
Sc
CaCl2
Cristal Chemical reduction
Armstrong TiCl4 X
Titanium by molten Na
Hunter-like molten
EMR Molten Salt
TiCl4 CSIR Na chemical X
Reduction
reduction
NextGen
Meltless Not disclosed Not disclosed X
Alloys
Various - R&D Chemicals multiple Chemical reduction X X X X
Traditional melting processes
Vacuum melting +
Gas Atomization Elements, scrap multiple X X X
inert gas atomization
Vacuum melting +
Cold Wall Induction Elements, scrap multiple X X
inert gas atomization
Atomization of mill products
Plasma Wire Inert melting using
Cold drawn wire multiple X X X X X X X X
Atomization plasma
Inert melting + gas
EIGA Exact length bar multiple X X X X X X
atomization
Inert melting +
Precision
PREP multiple centrifugal X X X
straightened bar
atomization
Other
Plasma Irregular-shaped Inert melting in a RF
Tekna X X X X X X X
Spheroidization powder plasma field
Sponge, thin-gauge Hydride-dehydride
Mechanical Crushing multiple X X
scrap (HDH)
Source: Wohlers Associates
The following table provides the steps involved in common metal powder
production processes. All of them include sieving, testing, and packaging.
Particle
Powder process Step 1 Step 2 Step 3
morphology
Chemical reduction processes
MxClY reduced by low-
Continuous vacuum Irregular, suitable
MeltFree (TiRO) oxygen Mg powder in a N/A
distillation for spheroidizing
fluidized bed reactor
MxOy electrochemical
FFC Water wash to remove salt N/A Irregular
reduction in molten CaCl2
TiCl4 reduced in a
Armstrong Water wash to remove salt N/A Irregular, dendritic
molten Na reactor
EMR Molten Salt TiCl4 reduced in a Irregular, spongy, or
Water wash to remove salt N/A
Reduction molten Na reactor crystalline
Continued on following page
Particle
Powder process Step 1 Step 2 Step 3
morphology
Traditional melting processes
Melt elements/scrap in Atomize using inert Atomized droplets solidify
Gas Atomization Spherical
a vacuum furnace gas via gas ring in an inert atmosphere
Melt elements/scrap in Atomize using inert Atomized droplets solidify
Cold Wall Induction Spherical
a vacuum furnace gas via gas ring in an inert atmosphere
Atomization of mill products
Plasma Wire CD wire is fed into Wire is melted and atomized Atomized droplets solidify
Spherical
Atomization a plasma field by plasma torches in an inert atmosphere
Centerless ground bar is Bar end melts and is
Atomized droplets solidify
EIGA mounted then slowly fed atomized using inert Spherical
in an inert atmosphere
into an induction coil gas via a gas ring
Bar end is melted using a
Precision straightened bar Atomized droplets solidify
PREP plasma torch; droplets are Spherical
is rotated at high RPMs in an inert atmosphere
formed by centrifugal force
Other
Plasma Irregular powder is fed into Particles are melted in Molten particles solidify in
Spherical
Spheroidization an RF plasma field the plasma field an inert atmosphere
Sponge or thin-gauge
Crushed particles are
Mechanical scrap is heated in a The brittle metal is
heated and dehydrided in a Irregular shards
Crushing furnace with a hydrogen mechanically crushed
vacuum furnace
atmosphere (hydrided)
Source: Wohlers Associates
Metal powder pricing The metal powder industry does not typically publish prices. Pricing
transactions are held confidentially between producers and/or resellers
and their customers. A rough estimate of typical AM powder prices for
industrial metal powders ranges from about $20 to more than $250 per kg
(2.2 lbs). Price differentials can be explained by one or more of the
following:
In general, the larger the order, the lower the price. This reflects
processing and handling cost differences. A powder producer’s processing
costs, productivity, overhead, and profit requirements are price variables
that differ by producer.
The following table includes estimated prices for 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of metal
powder for AM. The prices can vary, sometimes greatly, depending on the
quality of the product, quantity purchased, and other factors discussed in
this section.
Composites and Composites consist of two materials: a base material and a reinforcing
hybrid materials material. One of the most common base materials for PBF systems is PA.
Composite reinforcement materials include glass, aluminum, and carbon
fibers, as well as advanced fibers such as Kevlar.
The alignment of chopped fibers for MEX occurs as the feedstock is forced
through a nozzle. Continuous fibers are typically placed using mechanisms
that operate independently of the base material deposition system. MEX
systems are capable of printing polymers containing chopped fibers. They
are available from Arevo, InnovatiQ, Markforged, Stratasys, and others.
These materials offer many of the benefits of conventionally manufactured
composites.
Markforged offers MEX systems designed to print parts with both chopped
fiber and continuous composite strands. The Onyx and Onyx ESD materials
from Markforged are made from a nylon with micro-carbon fibers.
Materials with a continuous strand of fiber within a thermoplastic are also
available. Options for continuous-fiber strands are carbon, fiberglass, and
Kevlar. Parts produced with this process exhibit favorable properties in
the x-y direction.
The following image shows a tool used to lift engine pistons. Using
continuous-carbon-fiber composites, the tool successfully lifted 960 kg
(2,115 lbs) when tested and was certified to lift 240 kg (530 lbs). The
original part was manufactured from solid steel. Redesigning the part for
AM reduced weight by 75%. The company reported saving €100,000 on
tooling as a result of 3D printing the tool in a composite material.
The ultrasonic SHL process from Fabrisonic can produce metal hybrid
parts in two distinctly different ways. First, different metal foils, such as
copper and aluminum, can be used to produce a single part. Second,
specialized materials can be embedded between layers to produce metal
parts with unique properties. For example, nickel-titanium fibers can be
embedded between layers of aluminum. This produces a composite part
with a coefficient of thermal expansion that is considerably lower than
aluminum without the fibers.
The Fabrisonic process has been used to create more than 70 different
paired metal combinations. Aluminum-copper, aluminum-iron, and
aluminum-titanium are routinely joined. More exotic combinations are
also possible, such as tantalum-iron, silver-gold, and nickel-stainless steel.
1.
Materials for Materials available on the AM market are designed specifically for metal-
casting processes. Two major categories are investment casting and sand
metal casting
casting.
Printed wax pattern (left) and finished ring (center and right),
courtesy of Sasha Primak and Solidscape
Important parts for expendable-mold sand casting are the cope (top half of
mold), drag (bottom half of mold), and cores. For metal casting, these mold
parts are used once because they are destroyed in the process of retrieving
the metal casting. AM has been used to produce all three components, but
particularly for cores due to their innate complexity. The conventional
process for making sand-casting cores is to form them in molds called core
boxes. Making cores using AM processes eliminates the need for core
boxes, potentially saving time and money.
Ceramics and Ceramic materials and blends are offered by several companies. 3Dceram
other materials Sinto, Admatec, Lithoz, Prodways, and Tethon 3D offer photopolymers
filled with ceramic particles. A secondary furnace cycle burns off the
binder and sinters the ceramic, resulting in shrink of 15–30%, depending
on the material and process. Covestro offers a ceramic-reinforced
photopolymer for high-temperature applications. BJT systems from ExOne
produce glass and ceramic parts.
NanoParticle Jetting from XJet produces zirconia and alumina parts. Part
density is reported to be 99.9% after a furnace cycle that results in shrink
of 16%. Vertical build speed is 1.5 mm (0.059 in) per hour.
Third-party material Many companies produce materials for the AM industry. Some sell
material products directly to AM system manufacturers, who in turn
producers brand the material as their own and supply it to customers. In many
cases, these agreements are not disclosed to the public. Other producers
supply AM materials directly to the owners of AM equipment.
Historically, this group of third-party material producers has been small.
However, it has grown rapidly in recent years, particularly in the metal
powder segment.
Open vs. closed material Material sales can be an important source of recurring revenue for AM
system manufacturers. These companies are reluctant to lose that revenue
business models
stream to others. The machines they produce and sell can have physical,
electronic, and/or software locks to prevent the use of “unauthorized”
materials.
For metal AM, the open-architecture material model has taken precedence.
This may be partly because metal AM has developed in parallel with the
adoption of AM for production applications. Large customers require
multiple sources of raw materials to ensure the viability of their
production supply chain. The cost of the materials is also critical because
these systems are often used for full-scale manufacturing. If the material is
too expensive, the use of AM for production is not feasible.
Third-party producers The following tables list third-party companies that produce and sell
materials for AM systems. Some companies produce AM materials but only
sell parts made from the material and not the material itself. These
companies are excluded from the tables.
Materials by process The following chart shows the number of material products for each of
the seven major AM processes and six types of materials. Some metal
powders are available for multiple processes such as PBF, DED, and BJT.
To avoid replication, these materials are counted under PBF because it is
the more commonly used process.
Source: Senvol
The most diverse offering of materials is for metal PBF, by a large margin,
followed by polymer VPP and polymer MEX. The data used to create the
previous chart is presented in the following table.
Material producers Senvol tracks companies that supply AM materials. They include AM
and products system manufacturers and third-party material producers. The total
number of suppliers is shown by year in the following graph. All data used
to produce the following charts was taken at the end of each year. The
number of material suppliers has grown consistently from 2017 to 2021.
From 2020 to 2021, the number of suppliers increased by 13%.
Source: Senvol
Source: Senvol
The following chart shows metal products available for AM over the past
five years. They include filaments, powders, sheets, and wire stock.
Source: Senvol
The following chart shows growth trends in the most commonly used
thermoplastic products for AM. They are mostly polymers used in MEX and
PBF systems.
Source: Senvol
PA, also known as nylon, dominates the thermoplastics market due to the
growing number of PBF machines and applications that use these powders.
They include many grades of PA, such as PA6, PA11, and PA12, which is the
most common. TPU is an elastomer used with MEX and PBF systems. Its
use increased in 2021. Overall, polymers for MEX and PBF are expected to
expand and diversify over the coming years. The data used to create the
previous chart is presented in the following table.
Revenue from By most indicators, the pandemic caused a considerable slowdown of the
manufacturing industry. Even so, overall AM products and services
AM worldwide worldwide grew by 19.5% to $15.244 billion in 2021. This is compared to
growth of 7.5% to $12.758 billion in 2020.
The $15.244 billion also excludes venture capital, private equity, and other
investments in AM-related companies in 2021. Details on many of these
investments are found in Part 7 of this report.
Products and services Worldwide revenues from AM products were an estimated $6.229 billion
in 2021, an increase of 17.5% from the $5.303 billion produced in 2020.
This segment grew by 5.1% in 2020 and 22.3% in 2019.
Growth percentages The following table provides annual revenue growth percentages.
Revenues from services were unavailable prior to 1994, the year that
Wohlers Associates began tracking this information.
System Industrial AM systems have been tracked and discussed for 27 consecutive
years by Wohlers Associates. Excluded from this section are systems that
manufacturers sell for less than $5,000, often referred to as “desktop” or “low-cost” 3D
printers. They are covered in the section titled “Desktop 3D printers.”
The top (blue) line in the following graph shows the number of
manufacturers of industrial AM systems. The bottom (green) line shows
the number of manufacturers that sold a minimum of 100 machines
annually. In 2021, 39 companies sold at least 100 systems, compared to 31
in 2020.
The 266 system manufacturers are spread across six continents, as shown
in the following table. The number of manufacturers in China increased
from 26 in 2020 to 37 in 2021. In Japan, they declined from 12 in 2020 to
nine in 2021. The number of manufacturers in the U.S. increased from 47
to 59.
# of system # of system
Country Country
manufacturers manufacturers
United States 59 Taiwan 5
Germany 38 Sweden 4
China 37 Brazil 3
Netherlands 12 Canada 3
Austria 11 Switzerland 3
Italy 10 Turkey 3
Japan 9 Denmark 2
France 8 South Africa 2
Poland 8 Ukraine 2
South Korea 8 Argentina 1
Australia 7 Finland 1
Israel 7 Iran 1
Spain 7 Ireland 1
Russia 6 Portugal 1
United Kingdom 6 Singapore 1
Source: Wohlers Associates
Unit sales In 2021, an estimated 26,272 industrial systems were sold. This total
represents growth of 24.9% from the 21,029 systems sold in 2020. The
year 2020 saw a decline of 8.4% from 2019, when an estimated 22,970
industrial systems were sold. Growth was 19.4% in 2019.
Total unit sales growth of 24.9% reflects pent-up demand from 2020,
coupled with a rise in sales of relatively low-cost ($10,000–50,000)
systems. This growth also accounts for 38 manufacturers that Wohlers
Associates began tracking in 2021 and included in this report for the first
time. The following chart shows industrial system sales from 1988 through
2021.
The following table gives the unit sales growth rate of industrial AM
systems by year. As you can see, growth has varied greatly over the history
of the industry. The average annual growth rate from 1990 through 2021
is 21.2%. The average growth was 13.4% over the past four years (2018–
2021).
The following shows these growth rates in the form of a graph. It reflects
the fluctuation of system sales over the history of the AM industry.
Market shares The following chart shows market share estimates of unit sales among
industrial AM systems manufacturers worldwide in 2021. This segment
includes companies that sold more than 250 units. Stratasys’ share
declined to an estimated 12.0%, compared to 13.5% in 2020 and 16.6% in
2019. The “Other” segment increased from 34.3% in 2019 to 35.9% in
2020 and then to 38.6% in 2021. This includes new companies entering
the market and established companies that sold fewer than 250 units.
Some companies may sell many units at a lower price than those selling
fewer units at a higher price.
Systems sold by region The following chart shows the total number of industrial AM systems sold
in 2021 by companies headquartered in each geographic region. These are
systems that are sold from these regions of the world and not necessarily
installed within them. The installation of systems by geographic region can
be found near the beginning of Part 5. For 2021, the U.S. represented
45.5% of unit sales, an increase from the 37.8% sold in 2020.
Unit sales for Europe and the Asia/Pacific region declined to 23.0% and
17.2% in 2021 from 27.1% and 19.1% in 2020, respectively. Israel fell
from 14.0% in 2020 to 12.3% in 2021. Stratasys became an Israeli
company in late 2012, which is why the country holds a significant
worldwide market share. These percentages represent unit sales and not
revenues.
Average selling price The average selling price (ASP) of an industrial AM system was $93,404 in
2021. This compares to $100,510 in 2020 and $98,105 in 2019, as shown
in the following graph. (The values are in thousands of dollars.) Desktop
3D printers are not included in this ASP calculation.
The ASP declined from 2001 through 2010, as shown in the previous
graph. The ASP rose sharply after 2010. One reason for the increase was a
gaining of traction of high-end AM machines, including metal systems,
which can be up to 10 times the price of an average polymer system.
Another reason is that sales of machines at the low end of the industrial
system segment ($10,000 to $30,000 products) began to decline due to the
growth and popularity of desktop 3D printers. Together, these factors
caused the ASP of industrial systems to increase.
Metal AM systems Sales of AM systems for metal parts increased by 10.7% in 2021. Wohlers
Associates has been tracking this market segment for 20 years, as shown
in the following graph. An estimated 2,397 metal AM machines were sold
in 2021, compared to the 2,165 sold in 2020.
Polymer AM systems In comparison to metal AM, polymer systems are considerably less
expensive. In 2021, the ASP of a polymer AM system was $51,094. This
includes systems priced at $5,000 to more than $500,000. In 2021, 10
times more polymer industrial systems were sold than metal systems.
Unit sales by The following table shows the number of industrial AM machines (those
manufacturer and year that sell for $5,000 or more) sold from 2007 through 2021. The “Total”
column gives the number of machines sold from 1988 through 2021. A
similar table for 1988‒2006 is in Appendix B.
Many of the numbers in this table were generously provided by the system
manufacturers. For unit sales that are estimated, Wohlers Associates has
taken a conservative approach so that it does not inadvertently "inflate"
figures for companies that did not provide hard data.
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total
Argentina
Trideo - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 37 37
Australia
AML3D - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 2 4 7
AmPro - - - - - - - - - - - * 5 6 64 -
4 4 4 4 4 4 4
Asiga - - - - - 5 9 15 20 20 20 48 704 * * -
Aurora Labs - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * -
Gizmo 3D - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * -
Spee3D - - - - - - - - - - 3 4 5 4 7 23
Titomic - - - - - - - - - - - - - 24 * -
Austria
APS Tech Solutions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8 8
Cubicure - - - - - - - - - - 3 4 5 4 7 23
EVO-Tech - - - - - - - - - - - * * * * -
Genera - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
HAGE3D - - - - - - - - - - 45 51 37 42 28 203
Incus - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 2 54 10
Lithoz - - - - 1 2 2 34 74 104 154 244 284 * * -
SBI - - - - - - - - - - - - - * * -
UpNano - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 4 10 15
W2P - - - - - - - - - - - * 137 1104 1254 -
Weirather - - - - - - - - - - - * * * * -
Xioneer - - - - - - - - - - * * * - - -
Belgium
Colossus - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 4
Brazil
Alkimat - - - - - - - - 3 04 04 - 44 3 * -
Omnitek - - - - - - - - - - - * 11 * 11 -
Romi - - - - - - - - - - - - - * 24 -
Canada
Accufusion 1 0 0 0 - - - - - - - - - - - 1
AON3D - - - - - - - - - - - - 150 1394 1454 434
Nanogrande - - - - - - - - - - * 3 1 1 1 -
Newpro3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - 104 - 10
Rapidia - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 84 5 19
China
Binhu 18 16 134 114 124 31 50 - - - - - - - - 237
BLT - - - - - - - 3 9 17 304 334 504 * * -
BMF - - - - - - - - - - - * 35 334 118 -
Chamlion Laser Technology - - - - - - - - - - - - - 124 104 22
Coin Robotics - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 34 3
CoLiDo - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 104 10
CTC - - - - - - - - - - * * * - - -
Dazzle - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 304 30
Dedibot - - - - - - - - - - - - - 154 104 25
EasyMFG - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 124 12
Eplus 3D - - - - - - - - 52 86 104 127 127 117 197 810
Farsoon - - - - - 6 13 23 35 77 105 1354 181 154 164 893
Fochif - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * -
HBD - - - - - - - - - - 37 63 137 1314 142 510
Hengtong 40 35 35 36 40 38 41 44 41 187 189 1854 1904 1784 * -
Heygears - - - - - - - - - - - - - 304 754 105
Huake 3D - - - - - - - 28 37 394 414 454 45 15 12 262
IBridger - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
IEMAI - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
Intamsys - - - - - - - - - - * * * * 1204 -
Kings 3D (Jinshi 3D) - - - - - - - - - - - * * * * -
Laseradd - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * -
4 4
LongYuan 8 9 7 7 9 12 21 24 15 100 48 66 73 61 67 598
Nyomo - - - - - - - - - - * * * - - -
Peopoly - - - - - - - - - - - - - * 104 -
Prismlab - - - - - - - - - - * * * * 234 -
ProtoFab - - - - - - - - - - - * * * * -
QuickBeam - - - - - - - - - - 3 3 2 1 * -
Radium Laser - - - - - - - - - - - - - * * -
Raycham - - - - - - - - - - * * 30 15 30 75
Riton - - - - - - - - - - - * * * 154 -
Sailong Metal - - - - - - - - - - - - - 54 * -
Shanghai Digital Manufacturing - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
Shining 3D - - - - - - - - - - - - 4504 * 530 -
Syndaya - - - - - - - - - - * * * * - -
Techgine - - - - - - - - - - - * * * 204 -
Continued on following page
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total
Tiertime 44 159 198 202 259 155 205 123 119 96 45 50 48 45 75 2,027
TPM3D - - - - - 9 10 124 124 154 204 224 20 20 40 180
UnionTech 124 94 54 54 44 8 26 52 153 349 504 4804 5254 4904 4754 3,157
WiiBoox - - - - - - - - - - - * * * * -
XDM - - - - - - - - - - * * - - - -
Xery - - - - - - - 147 61 42 102 * - - - -
Yibo 3D - - - - - - - - - - * * * * - -
Yongnian - - - - - - - - - - 10 15 * * - -
Zhuhai CTC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ZRapid Tech - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * -
Columbia
Fused Form - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 12 12
Croatia
Darko Strojevi - - - - - - - - - - * - - - - -
Czech Republic
Trilab - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 18 18
Denmark
AddiFab - - - - - - - - - - - * 6 8 6 -
Blueprinter - - - - - - 15 63 704 - - - - - - 148
Cobod - - - - - - - - - - - - - 24 22 24
Finland
MiniFactory - - - - - - - - - - - 2 254 20 22 69
France
3DCeram Sinto - - - - - - - 1 2 6 8 12 14 15 15 73
AddUp8 - - - - - - - - - - 154 374 414 * * -
BeAM - - 2 0 1 04 04 4 5 8 8 - - - - 28
Julien - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
Lynxter - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
Microlight - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 74 74 19
Phenix Systems 15 14 16 18 12 10 83 - - - - - - - - 113
Pollen - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 19 19
Prodways - - - 1 3 4 4 13 27 31 36 2454 2874 * * -
Volumic - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 304 30
Germany
2oneLab - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 5
3BOTS 3D Engineering - - - - - - - - - - 2 13 19 104 - 44
3D Micro Print - - - - - - - - - - - * * * * -
3D Micromac - - - - - - - - - - - - - * * -
3D printed microTEC - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 * 3 -
3D-Mectronic - - - - - - - - - - - - - 34 34 6
Aconity - - - - - - - - - - - - 15 21 25 61
AIM3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 154 15
Alpha Laser - - - - - - - - - - - - - * 104 -
AMCM - - - - - - - - - - - - - 20 33 53
Apium - - - - - - - - 9 94 84 124 29 37 35 139
Arburg - - - - - - - 24 34 54 54 104 15 4 * * -
BigRep - - - - - - 15 15 81 120 151 140 158 96 107 883
Chiron Group - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 2
Concept Laser 19 17 15 23 28 43 85 111 161 156 1554 - - - - 850
CR3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 124 12
DMG Dental - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 204 20
DP Polar - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 124 12
EOS 79 99 72 89 137 145 201 284 370 403 461 460 460 290 310 4,516
FlensTech - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
Gefertec - - - - - - - - - - * * * 10 124 -
German RepRap9 - - - - - - - - 485 726 278 2304 2654 2404 - 2,224
Gewo Feinmechanik - - - - - - - - - - * * 5 5 54 -
Impact Innovations - - - - - - - - - - - * * * * -
Innovation MediTech - - - - - 18 104 - - - - - - - - 28
InnovatiQ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2254 225
Kühling&Kühling - - - - - - - - - - * * * - - -
Kulzer - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 304 30
Kumovis - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 7 11 20
Kurtz Ersa - - - - - - - - - - - - * 1 10 -
Lunovu - - - - - - - - - - - 3 5 2 6 16
Multiphoton Optics - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 44 4
Nanoscribe - 14 44 74 104 134 154 254 304 30 254 244 194 164 224 241
Orion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 5
Precitec - - - - - - - - - - - - - * * -
Pyot Labs - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 124 12
Rapid Shape - - - - 15 35 70 754 190 4 175 4 140 4 120 4 700 4 * 815 -
4 4
ReaLizer - - 9 11 14 14 23 14 19 23 20 - - - - 147
Continued on following page
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total
Sintermask 3 1 0 0 0 - - - - - - - - - - 6
SLM Solutions - - - 10 21 30 62 102 130 113 674 494 604 654 709
Trumpf 7 9 9 11 13 13 19 26 32 59 105 116 1204 1024 1004 758
Voxeljet 3 4 3 5 5 8 11 14 17 19 15 18 19 12 144 171
Vulcantech - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 4 8 15
VXL (Xioneer) - - - - - - - - - - - - - 204 * -
Walter Feist Systemtechnik - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
Hungary
DO3D (Voxeltech) - - - - - - - 2 5 54 54 124 04 - - 29
India
Amace - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 1
Intech - - - - - - - - - - - - - 24 7 9
Iran
Noura - - - - - - - - - - * * 2 3 5 -
Ireland
CleanGreen3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - * * -
Mcor Technologies - 4 9 50 72 138 300 600 700 5004 2004 1054 204 - - 2,698
Israel
Cubital - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 33
Fleximatter - - - - - - - - - - - * * - - -
IO Tech - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
Massivit 3D - - - - - - - - - 22 40 384 40 4 10 22 172
Modix - - - - - - - - - - - - * 454 604 -
Nano Dimension - - - - - - - - - 6 84 124 124 84 24 48
Objet 402 433 388 594 929 1,130 - - - - - - - - - 4,752
Solido 224 184 289 450 - - - - - - - - - - - 901
Stratasys - - - - - - 5,3755 6,6655 5,1665 4,6505 4,1005 3,7106 3,6606 2,8456 3,1554 39,326
Tritone - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14 24 3
XJet - - - - - - - - - - 3 12 7 6 5 33
Italy
3D4Mec - - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 34 1 6
3ntr - - - - - - - - - - * 145 115 122 142 524
DWS 414 54 67 156 1704 130 1454 146 193 375 498 4904 5204 176 159 3,404
Gimax3D - - - - - - - - - - - * * - - -
Mark One - - - - - - - - - - - - 20 20 9 49
MeccatroniCore - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 124 12
Prima Industries - - - - - - - - - - - 3 15 154 154 48
Roboze - - - - - - - - - - * 79 65 50 604 254
Sharebot - - - - - - - - 64 704 754 80 146 165 143 743
Sisma - - - - - - - 10 30 43 504 554 168 34 204 410
WASP - - - - - - - - - - * * * 450 580 -
Japan1
Aspect 6 3 5 1 5 3 11 7 16 20 20 15 10 5 6 139
Autostrade 8 12 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 279
Chubunippon 14 14 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 25
4 4 4 4 4 4
CMET 30 20 13 11 10 20 28 22 28 26 22 20 25 15 12 571
D-MEC 104 44 34
14
04
- - 54
54
64
64
64
* * * -
Denken 64 44 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 195
DMG Mori - - - - - - - 24 54 11 94 304 284 * * -
Genkei - - - - - - - - - - * * * - - -
Keyence - - - - - 54 104 154 254 294 284 304 284 * * -
Kira 11 6 44 24 - - - - - - - - - - - 231
Matsuura - - - - - 54 54 154 124 10 15 18 10 5 64 101
Mazak - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Meiko - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 143
Mimaki - - - - - - - - - - 25 28 17 16 38 124
Mutoh - - - - - - - - - - 2604 400 300 260 2604 1,480
NTT Data CME - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 186
Ricoh - - - - - - - - - - * * * * - -
Roland DG - - - - - - - 460 200 100 100 50 * * - -
Sodick - - - - - - - 10 37 454 304 324 354 * * -
Unirapid 2 1 1 2 - - - - - - - - - - - 75
Latvia
Mass Portal - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
Liechtenstein
Coobx - - - - - - - - - - - - 10 14 184 42
Luxembourg
Anisoprint - - - - - - - - - - - 10 50 108 210 378
Netherlands
Additive Industries - - - - - - - - 1 7 10 15 20 10 5 68
Admatec - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * -
Atum 3D - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * -
Continued on following page
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total
Blackbelt - - - - - - - - - - - - - * 154 -
Builder - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * -
CEAD - - - - - - - - - - - - - 44 50 54
CyBe Construction - - - - - - - - - - * * 7 8 14 -
FELIXprinters - - - - - - - - - - - - 22 83 1044 209
Luxexcel - - - - - - - - - - - * * * * -
MX3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 44 4
Opiliones - - - - - - - - - - - - - 154 204 35
Tractus3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - 124 204 32
Poland
3DGence - - - - - - - - - - - 48 54 604 654 227
ATMAT - - - - - - - - - - - - - 204 254 45
Klema - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
Omni3D - - - - - - - - - - * * 18 33 54 -
Sinterit - - - - - - - - 25 40 84 261 2754 2804 3004 1,265
SondaSys - - - - - - - - - - - 11 124 5 104 38
UBOT 3D - - - - - - - - - - - - 14 204 254 59
Vshaper - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * -
Portugal
Tecnirolo - - - - - - - - - - - - - * * -
Russia
3DSLA.RU - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 2 6
Additive Solutions (AddSol) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 3
Lasers and Apparatus - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * -
Picaso 3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 373 373
Rusatom - - - - - - - - - - - - - 44 1 5
Total Z - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * -
Singapore
Kinergy - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 49
Structo - - - - - - - - 2 15 154 304 384 854 1004 285
Slovenia
Dentas - - - - - - - - - - - - - 44 54 9
South Africa
Aditiv Solutions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 3
Fouche 3D Printing - - - - - - - - - 4 64 84 54 54 54 33
South Korea
AON 3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 20 20
Carima - - 5 25 26 132 157 170 238 327 360 385 430 220 241 2,716
Cubicon - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 54 9
InssTek - - - - 3 2 2 14 24 5 54 54 54 9 124 51
Maxrotec - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14 * -
Menix 2 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 21
Rokit - - - - - - - - 2004 167 392 1604 250 229 2404 1,638
Sentrol - - - - - - - - 10 14 10 4 34 * - -
Sindoh - - - - - - - - - - - - 95 201 238 534
4
Solid Freeform Systems - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 5 8
Spain
Addilan - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 1 14 1 5
Allied Dimensions - - - - - - - - - - * * * * - -
CNC Barcenas - - - - - - - - - - - * * * * -
Dynamical 3D - - - - - - - - - - - 48 81 72 854 286
Meltio - - - - - - - - - - * - 37 29 69 135
Microlay - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
SamyLabs - - - - - - - - - - - * 3 3 5 -
Sicnova - - - - - - - - - - * * * * - -
Triditive - - - - - - - - - - - 0 1 1 2 4
Sweden
Arcam 15 10 11 14 14 24 27 42 60 50 65 - - - - 365
BLB Industries - - - - - - - - - - * * * * - -
Digital Metal - - - - - - - - - 2 34 104 54 74 54 32
Fluicell - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
Freemelt - - - - - - - - - - - 1 4 3 4 12
Wematter - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 5 7 15
Switzerland
Exaddon - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 3 5 10
Femtoprint - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14 14 2
Sintratec - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * -
Taiwan
Ackuretta - - - - - - - - - - * 27 254 3 5 60
MicroJet - - - - - - - - - - * 40 20 20 20 100
MiiCraft - - - - - - - - - - - - - * * -
Continued on following page
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total
Tongtai - - - - - - - - - - - - - * * -
XYZprinting - - - - - - - - - - * * 310 280 3304 -
Turkey
Ermaksan - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 7 6 18
Loop3D - - - - - - - - - - - - * * * -
NovaFab - - - - - - - - - - - * 183 236 2604 -
Ukraine
Additive Laser Technology - - - - - - - - - - - - - * * -
xBeam - - - - - - - - - - 1 0 3 * * -
United Kingdom
MTT Technologies 10 15 15 16 - - - - - - - - - - - 92
Photocentric - - - - - - - - - - - * * * * -
Raplas - - - - - - - - - - - 11 22 24 244 81
Renishaw - - - - 74 124 174 264 394 594 654 684 784 * * -
RPS - - - - - - - - - - - - * * * -
WAAM3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7 7
Wayland Additive - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14 1
United States
3D Hybrid Solutions - - - - - - - - - - - 2 34 * * -
3D Platform - - - - - - - - - - 1904 2204 3504 600 6504 2,010
3D Systems 1944 1464 1184 3964 7334 1,3594 1,7654 2,1184 1,9254 1,6434 1,4804 2,3684 2,2754 2,0204 2,1004 24,574
3DXTech - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 154 15
Addere - - - - - - - - - - - - - * * -
Additec - - - - - - - - - - - * * * * -
Advanced Solutions - - - - - - - - - - - - - * * -
Allevi - - - - - - - - - - - - - * * -
Apis Cor - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 104 10
Azul3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
B9Creations - - - - - - - - - - - - - * * -
Carbon - - - - - - - - - - * * * * 2604 -
Cincinnati - - - - - - - - - - * * * 18 5 -
Coherent (prev. OR Laser) - - - - - - - - - - 46 65 604 554 - 226
Compound Dynamics - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 84 - 9
Cosine Additive - - - - - - - - - 12 154 44 34 24 2 38
Cubic Technologies 14 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13
Desktop Metal - - - - - - - - - - 357 312 250 1904 2004 1,309
Diabase - - - - - - - - - - - - 40 20 304 90
DM3D - - - - - - - - - - 2 24 14 14 14 7
DTM - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 434
Essentium - - - - - - - - - - - - - 76 * -
ETEC (Envisiontec) 238 356 376 435 4 4 4 4
540 880 1,097 1,283 1,250 1,224 1,210 1,190 1,075 4 4 * * -
Evolve Additive - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14 04 1
ExOne 174 164 74 4 4 13 29 28 26 33 41 64 55 4
494
554 597
Fabrisonic - - - - 1 1 2 1 0 1 0 1 5 44 44 20
Fonon - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * -
Formalloy - - - - - - - - - - - 5 54 44 64 20
Formlabs - - - - - - - - - - 280 3104 3504 1,468 2,700 5,108
Fortify - - - - - - - - - - - - - 64 * -
Fusion3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 44 4
GE Additive - - - - - - - - - - - 2404 250 2004 2104 900
Helisys - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 377
HP - - - - - - - - - 124 375 5134 6504 6204 6504 2,820
Hybrid Manufacturing Tech. - - - - - - - - - - - - - 64 * -
Hyrel 3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - 104 124 22
IC3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
Impossible Objects - - - - - - - - - - - 3 4 34 2 12
Ingersoll Machine Tools - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
JuggerBot 3D - - - - - - - - - - - - 7 5 64 18
Kwambio - - - - - - - - - - - * * - - -
Laser Photonics - - - - - - - - - - - - - 44 * -
LuxCreo - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 754 75
Markforged - - - - - - - 54 504 1754 1,876 2,831 3,6404 1,6104 1,6504 11,837
Millebot - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 2
Nexa3D - - - - - - - - - - * * * 90 123 -
nScrypt - - - - - - - - - - * * * 7 104 -
Open Additive - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 64 64 15
Optomec7 13 19 25 24 19 21 25 40 63 63 58 56 60 42 51 643
Orbital Composites - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
POM 2 2 2 3 0 0 - - - - - - - - - 18
Re:3D - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * -
Rize - - - - - - - - - 4 104 254 1204 1054 * -
RPM Innovations - - - - - - - 1 4 3 4 2 34 1 4 22
Continued on following page
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total
Sanders Design Int. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 52
Schroff Development - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 172
Sciaky - - - - 1 04 0 2 3 3 5 6 2 2 3 27
Solidica 0 0 2 1 - - - - - - - - - - - 15
Solidscape 464 384 230 302 269 312 - - - - - - - - - 3,784
Sprintray - - - - - - - - - - - - - * 850 4 -
Stacker - - - - - - - - - - - * * - * -
Stratasys, Inc. 2,169 2,184 1,918 2,555 2,428 3,026 - - - - - - - - - 21,293
SunP Biotech - - - - - - - - - - - * * * * -
Sugino - - - - - - - - - - - - - 44 * -
Tethon 3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * -
Thermwood - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * -
Titan Robotics - - - - - - - - 5 14 8 11 15 15 204 88
4
Tytus3D - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 0 04 1
UNIZ - - - - - - - - - - - - - 104 580 590
Velo3D - - - - - - - - - - - 4 18 13 23 58
Viridis 3D - - - - - - - - 1 0 - - - - - 1
Xact Metal - - - - - - - - - - - 5 14 9 20 48
4
Xerox - - - - - - - - - 1 * * * * 1 -
Z Corp. 1,022 950 623 709 722 4 - - - - - - - - - - 7,029
Other - - - 1 - - - - - 3502 1,0322 1,6212 1,7342 4,6852 3,5022 12,955
Year Total 4,945 5,017 4,499 6,178 6,526 7,803 9,878 12,859 12,557 13,084 16,369 19,241 22,970 21,029 26,272
Cumulative Total 26,891 31,908 36,407 42,585 49,111 56,914 66,792 79,651 92,208 105,292 121,661 140,902 163,872 184,901 211,173
Source: Wohlers Associates
Footnotes:
* Included as part of “Other” (located near the bottom of the table).
1 Estimates were provided by system manufacturers and other industry sources in Japan.
2 Wohlers Associates has taken a conservative approach to estimating unit sales and does not want to inadvertently "inflate" figures for
companies that did not provide hard data.
3 Includes sales from the first half of the year only. Sales from the second half of the year were included in 3D Systems’ 2013 total. The
machine manufacturer did not supply the data.
4 Wohlers Associates’ estimate based on input from industry sources. The machine manufacturer did not supply the data.
5 Wohlers Associates’ estimate that includes FDM, PolyJet, and Solidscape, but excludes MakerBot.
6 Wohlers Associates’ estimate that includes FDM and PolyJet but excludes MakerBot. Prodways acquired Solidscape from Stratasys
in July 2018.
7 Includes both LENS and aerosol jet systems.
8 Includes sales of BeAM machines beginning in 2018.
9 See InnovatiQ for sales figures after 2020.
Desktop 3D printers Wohlers Associates defines desktop 3D printers as AM systems that sell
for less than $5,000. This category includes RepRap-derivative material
extrusion (MEX) products such as those from Cubicon, Formlabs, Prusa,
Tiertime, XYZprinting, and Zaxe. Desktop vat photopolymerization (VPP)
systems are also growing in prominence for prototyping, education, and
final part production in applications such as dentistry.
Because of the way the under $500 products are sold, it is challenging to
estimate unit sales by calendar year. Even the people closest to this market
segment are unsure and admit that the available information offers rough
estimates, at best.
The figures in the following section are at odds with the 2019–2021
estimates in the previous graph, which could be low. Reporting
methodologies can differ dramatically in some parts of the world.
Materials and R&D Most manufacturers of desktop 3D printers report that polylactic acid
(PLA) is the material making the most money. Survey results show that
63.6% of respondents reported that PLA produced the most money, with
the remaining 36.4% from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS),
photopolymers, and composites.
Pro AFS at Expo 2020 Dubai. The operation includes 34 Original Prusa 3D
printers that run autonomously. A print farm of more than 600 printers is
running at the company’s headquarters in Prague.
AM material sales In 2021, $2.598 billion was spent globally on materials for all AM
industrial and desktop systems. This represents an increase of 23.4% over
the $2.105 billion generated in 2020. These dollar figures include sales of
powders, liquid photopolymers, pellets, filaments, wires, sheet materials,
and all other materials used for AM.
The following graph and table provide a 21-year history of global material
sales for AM systems. The numbers are in millions of dollars.
The following chart shows the $2.598 billion materials market segmented
by material type. In 2021, for the first time, polymer powders overtook the
photopolymer segment. Historically, the photopolymer segment has been
the largest, due in part to its popularity for prototyping and other
applications. PBF is believed to be the most popular process for final part
production, so the recent growth in powders points to the strong adoption
of AM for production applications.
Filaments Stratasys has dominated filament sales since its first MEX products were
introduced in 1991. It is believed that the company is the top provider of
filaments for the AM market. The company does not publish filament sales.
Metals Revenue from metals for AM grew 23.5% in 2021 to an estimated $473.6
million, up from $383.4 in 2020. Wohlers Associates began to track the
sales and growth of metals for AM in 2009, as shown in the following
graph and table. The estimates are in millions of dollars. Metals used in
AM are primarily powders, but also include wires, filaments, sheets, and
tapes.
Service providers AM service providers are companies that produce parts and offer other
services on a contract basis to a wide range of organizations. In recent
years, the scope of paid-parts services has grown. It includes conventional
service bureaus that have been in business since the early 1990s. It also
includes AM marketplaces and communities such as Sculpteo, Shapeways,
Xometry, and independent 3D print shops.
Primary service market Independent service providers worldwide generated an estimated $6.235
billion from the sale of parts produced by AM systems in 2021. This is up
18.3% from the $5.270 billion in 2020. This revenue excludes sales
generated by service provider businesses within companies such as
Stratasys. The $6.235 billion represents nearly 69.2% of total AM
services in 2021, which reached $9.015 billion.
The following graph shows service provider revenue estimates (in millions
of dollars) for the past 28 years. The bars represent primary revenue
only—money from parts produced on AM equipment. They do not include
revenue from secondary processes, such as tooling (not produced on AM
equipment), parts made from this tooling, castings, or machined parts from
computer numerical control (CNC) processes. Also, they exclude design,
engineering, and all other services.
Service provider survey Since 2004, Wohlers Associates has collected input from service
providers to help determine the state of the industry. Most respondents
are “traditional” service providers as defined previously. However,
several online marketplaces also contribute.
Contributing service The following table lists 117 service providers from around the world
providers that generously contributed information and data for this report.
Survey results An estimated total of 2,005 industrial AM systems are installed at the 117
companies that responded to the service provider survey. In 2021,
independent service providers reported overall business growth of 18.3%.
The technology with the highest number of installed systems among the
survey respondents was stereolithography (SLA) from 3D Systems, a VPP
technology. According to the survey results, 305 SLA systems were
operating at these companies in 2021. For the second consecutive year, the
combined number of polymer PBF systems from EOS and HP exceeded the
number of SLA systems, with a total of 324 machines installed at these
companies.
Polymer PBF from EOS is the second most popular technology, with 216
machines installed at the surveyed service providers. MEX from Stratasys
is the third most popular, with 131 units in operation. This is followed
closely by MJF from HP, a PBF process, with 118 systems in operation. The
most popular metal AM technology is from EOS, with 115 installed
systems, followed by Concept Laser from GE Additive, with 85 systems
operating at the 117 companies.
Pre- and post-processing In recent years, the AM industry has become more aware of the need for
design for manufacturing (DfAM). One of the key reasons is to reduce the
time and expense of pre- and post-processing of parts. Service providers
were asked what proportion of their part costs are attributed to pre-
processing (i.e., model repair, build orientation, part nesting, build
preparation, etc.), printing (i.e., actual building of the parts), and post-
processing (i.e., support material removal, cleaning, surface treatment,
etc.). The results were divided among service providers that produce
metal AM only, polymer AM only, and both. The following table shows the
results for 2021.
Most profitable Service providers were asked which AM process was most profitable in
AM processes 2021. At 16.8%, polymer PBF from EOS was the top choice, as shown in
the following chart. MJF from HP was second, followed by SLA from 3D
Systems (3DS). Metal PBF from EOS was the top metal AM technology.
The “Other” category shows that 25.3% of the survey respondents said
their most profitable AM process is from less-established system
manufacturers. These are typically young companies that have not gained
significant market share.
In 2020, the top choice for service providers was PBF from HP. The “Other”
systems include BJT systems from 3D Systems, ExOne, and Voxeljet, and
PBF from Concept Lasers and Renishaw.
Those surveyed were asked which technology they would most likely
purchase if they were going to expand their AM capacity. The most popular
response was MJF from HP, as shown in the following chart. The second
and third most popular were metal PBF from EOS and polymer MEX from
Stratasys. The responses to this question show an increasing interest in
PBF systems. About 40% of the systems in the “Other” category are from
3D Systems’ material jetting (MJT) and metal PBF systems, Desktop Metal,
DMG Mori, ExOne, GE Additive (Arcam), Renishaw, and SLM Solutions. The
remaining systems in “Other” are products from less established
manufacturers.
This is the second consecutive year that more machines have been
purchased from less-established companies. It shows a possible trend
toward young companies with success at competing with more developed
manufacturers. Many of the established system manufacturers can be
found in Part 8 of this report.
Most profitable materials Service providers were asked which material is making the most money
for their companies. The following two charts show the most profitable
polymers and metals.
Revenue growth The following graph shows the mean rate of growth in service provider
revenues from primary services over the past 17 years. Primary services
consist of revenues from parts produced directly on AM systems. In 2021,
the mean growth rate increased to 18.3% from 7.1% in 2020.
The following chart shows the revenue growth segmented by small (0–20
employees), small-medium (21–50 employees), medium (51–100
employees), medium-large (101–250 employees), and large companies
(251+ employees). Medium-sized company revenue grew the most in
2021, compared to others.
Competition An important historic development for the service provider industry was
the transition by system manufacturers into this market. 3D Systems
began acquiring established service providers in 2009. This signaled the
start of system manufacturers competing with some of their best
customers. 3D Systems acquired 17 service providers from 2009 to 2015.
In June 2021, 3D Systems sold its service business, branded Quickparts,
to Trilantic North America, a private equity firm, for $82 million.
The service provider industry remains strong, even with the challenges
presented by the pandemic. The sector showed an 18.3% growth in
primary service revenues. Also, 81.4% of responding service providers
added capacity in 2021. The AM industry will provide opportunities for
continued growth in all categories of this important industry segment.
Comments from Service providers were invited to share comments on their business. The
service providers following anonymous remarks were found to be interesting and
insightful. The comments were edited for spelling, grammar, and clarity,
but every attempt was made to preserve their meaning and intent. All
comments were written in early 2022.
“Growth was good in 2021, and we are excited about the prospects of
significant growth in our AM production business in 2022.”
“We saw an exceptionally strong first half of 2021, but business slowed
considerably in Q3, before seeing signs of recovery in Q4. Overall, we have
experienced significantly higher volatility since the beginning of the
pandemic. Intervals of full utilization of our systems were quickly followed
by intervals of low utilization. To some extent, this reflects the uncertainty
in the industry. Our customers are ordering only what they currently need.
We hope that 2022 will be a step toward steady and stable growth.”
“Our business grew in 2021. However, it grew from a low starting point
after 2020, which was a tough year due to the pandemic. Our business is
not yet back to pre-2019 levels. We hoped business would increase
because of the general decline in conventional manufacturing due to
factors such as shortages in semiconductors. We did not see much of an
impact.”
“Overall growth in 2021 was positive after being relatively flat in 2020.
Notable problems have centered around finding and adding qualified
employees.”
“It was a very challenging year due to the pandemic. With the second and
third waves in 2021, the medical device industry struggled to recover.
Many elective surgeries were cancelled or postponed because hospital
beds were taken by COVID-19 patients. This had a negative effect on our
business. We are exploring opportunities to export to reach additional
markets.”
seen no resurgence in this part of our business. We expect it will not come
back because many of our customers who were forced to work remotely
adapted to new waiting periods to get parts. It is apparent that price is
more important than short lead times and part quality. We currently have
no plans for acquiring new equipment and intend on liquidating some of
our machines.”
“We received fewer prototype orders because our customers opted to buy
their own low-cost 3D printers. Functional parts demand did increase for
small series parts and even production runs of up to 50,000 pieces. For
series production, quality inspection is requested by our customers. We
have invested a lot in measurement tools and 3D scanning equipment.”
“The industry currently has a lot of skepticism, but things are changing
every day.”
“We see increased interest in AM, particularly for serial metal production.
This comes mainly from companies and customers who have been
experimenting with AM for several years. Reluctancy still remains in the
market overall. Most companies continue to order prototypes.”
“Short AM lead times in 2020 led many of our customers to rethink their
AM strategy. Although production work declined in 2021, we received
significantly more prototype orders that will hopefully lead to production
using AM. In 2020, many engineers quickly learned how to design for AM.
AM also came to the rescue with material shortages in other
manufacturing industries. We were able to transition a number of projects
from traditional manufacturing to AM due to a shortage of available
material in traditional channels.”
“We saw a positive impact to our business from supply chain disruptions.
New customers who had not previously adopted AM considered it an
alternative to traditional methods. Lower-cost platforms, such as
Markforged and the Fuse 1 from Formlabs, have improved considerably.
This allows us to compete aggressively with service providers running
high-cost systems. We can increase throughput to meet production
quantities with far less capital.”
“2021 was a very hard year for us. Supply chains decimated the food
packaging market, which is one of our best segments. Our aerospace work
died out in 2020 and has not returned. We are trying to remain optimistic
and are growing the 3D scanning side of the business. The hope is to
strengthen the printing business with good scanners.”
“We added two new polymer PBF machines from EOS for serial
production. Our prototyping business is declining.”
“The pandemic is still an issue for manufacturers and the supply chain. We
have supported some companies with supply chain issues. We had some
growth, but overall, 2021 was tough. We are hoping to see more stability in
the future and are excited about 2022 with many potential opportunities.”
“The pandemic had a big impact on our business around medical metal
implants because many people opted to delay surgeries.”
“It was a solid year for us with controlled growth and strategic investment
in equipment. We expect more than 20% growth in 2022 as the pandemic
hopefully recedes.”
“Our business was affected a lot by the pandemic in 2021 with fewer
aerospace projects. We started new projects with electric and alternative
engine companies. For 2022, we expect a continuous increase in sales.”
“We were surprised that the pandemic affected sales so much. We are back
to pre-COVID numbers now, thankfully.”
“Our 2021 business has seen good growth over 2020. It mainly was from a
large increase in MJF printing. We recently added our second MJF machine
and some small MEX machines. We saw an increase in AM for short-run
production in 2021. Our MJF systems are being used for both prototyping
and short-run production. Our VPP technology is still being used for
prototyping. However, our VPP job count is decreasing as more projects
move to MJF systems.”
“In the past two years, we saw our business from the automotive sector
suffer significantly. Fortunately, our machine-building and urban
electromobility business made up for it.”
“We are seeing continued acceptance and growth in final part production
using AM. We see this as a significant growth opportunity. Hardware has
outpaced the capabilities of software and digital workflow systems.
Physical and digital gaps in downstream post-processing workflows, such
as mechanical and vapor smoothing, still exist. Significant labor, time, and
one-off process development are required to achieve consistent, quality
results. The market is ideal for mass customization and personalization.
The level of success will depend on product designs and innovation
leveraging final product consistency and streamlined workflows to reduce
time and cost.”
“2021 was a tough year for AM because many customers cut back in
spending on new technologies.”
“Demand maintained its 2020 level with a decrease in orders from the
automotive industry. In our region, capturing the market is important,
particularly with the installation of an MJF system from HP to provide
services.”
“2021 was a great year for our company. We installed a BJT system from
ExOne and more traditional machining to expand our metal 3D printing
market. Our market share has increased in the field of polymer printing.
We completed five large and many small projects in 2021. We made a
connection with a university to create a department for teaching 3D
printing and DfAM.”
Investment in Demand for AM products and services has largely recovered from the
impact of the pandemic. Some companies reported activity below pre-
publicly traded pandemic levels, in part due to ongoing supply-chain challenges affecting
companies both suppliers and customers. Supply-chain disruptions that began in
by Brian Drab and Blake Keating 2020 worsened in 2021 and have continued into 2022. Many industry
executives see recent supply-chain gaps as an opportunity because AM
technologies help to bring flexibility and resiliency to supply chains.
Demand for 3D Systems’ products and services has generally returned to—
and in some markets, exceeded—pre-pandemic levels. The company’s
healthcare business has performed especially well, in large part due to the
strength of its products for the dental aligner market. Stratasys has faced a
slower recovery, compared to 3D Systems. 3D Systems’ revenue grew 32%
organically in 2021. Stratasys’ revenue grew 14% organically and remains
about 5% below 2019 revenue, in part due to a slower recovery in
consumables. Stratasys’ consumables revenue did not exceed 2019 levels
until Q4 2021.
NYSE under the ticker symbol DM. Other publicly traded AM companies on
the Nasdaq include Materialise (MTLS), Nano Dimension (NNDM), and
Voxeljet (VJET). SLM Solutions (AM3D) trades on the Xetra platform in
Frankfurt, Germany.
Nano Dimension’s revenue was around $10 million in 2021. The company
has amassed a significant amount of cash and could continue to make
acquisitions that will change the AM industry landscape. Nano Dimension
completed 11 stock offerings since February 2020 that collectively added
more than $1.5 billion in cash to the company’s balance sheet. The
company has acquired four companies from April 2021 through February
2022 for a total of about $190 million, split between cash and stock. Since
its establishment, Nano Dimension has sold about 65 machines, used
primarily for the fabrication of circuit boards.
AM stock price performance has been mixed, compared with the broader
market indices. In 2021, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (Dow)
increased 19% and the S&P 500 increased 29%. As of the close on March 7,
2022, the Dow was down 13% and the S&P 500 was down 19%, year-to-
date. These changes in the major indices provide reference points when
comparing the changes in AM company stock prices.
Markforged was acquired by a SPAC called one in July 2021. The deal
valued the company at $1.7 billion and delivered $361 million in gross
proceeds to Markforged (net proceeds of $318 million). The company’s
stock was trading with a market capitalization of $619 million as of March
7, 2022. Through September 2021, Markforged reported about $65 million
in revenue and an operating loss of $31 million. Over the same period,
gross margin ranged from 57% to 60%. Markforged has an installed
machine base of more than 10,000 units. The company’s growth has been
supported by demand for 3D printers capable of building continuous-fiber
and chopped-fiber reinforced-parts.
Carbon has raised more than $680 million in funding and reportedly
received a valuation of about $2.4 billion in its latest funding round in
2019. The company has been successful in the sporting goods industry,
serving customers such as Adidas and Specialized. In 2021, Carbon’s
management announced that Rawlings is using the company’s technology
in a line of baseball gloves. Management reported another year of growth
in 2021 and indicated that the company continues to progress toward
profitability with a strong balance sheet.
Formlabs has experienced strong growth since the early stages of the
pandemic. The company has raised over $250 million and was valued at $2
billion in the latest funding round. Since inception, Formlabs has sold more
than 70,000 machines. The company’s strong gross margin is supported by
both system sales and a relatively high-margin consumables revenue
stream.
Revenues and earnings Stratasys generated revenue of $607 million in 2021, up 17% from $521
million in 2020. Product revenue (systems and consumables) increased
23% year-over-year. Revenue from the product segment represented
65% of fiscal 2021 sales. Service revenue at Stratasys increased 5% year-
over-year.
The following table provides the consensus revenue and EPS estimates for
the companies covered in this section of the report.
2022E % 2023E %
EPS consensus 2021 EPS1 2022E EPS 2023E EPS
Growth Growth
Two of the most common valuation metrics used by growth investors are
the price/earnings (P/E) and enterprise value/EBITDA (EV/EBITDA)
multiples. The P/E is calculated by dividing the stock price by the
consensus EPS estimates. EV/EBITDA is defined as a company’s market
capitalization plus net debt (debt minus cash) divided by earnings before
taxes, interest, depreciation, and amortization. The following tables
highlight P/E and EV/EBITDA valuations as of March 7, 2022.
EPS P/E
Company Ticker Price
CY 22E CY 23E CY 22E CY 23E
3D Systems DDD $14.46 $0.12 $0.29 123x 51x
Stratasys SSYS $22.50 $0.16 $0.40 139x 56x
Desktop Metal DM $3.54 $(0.33) $(0.21) NM NM
Protolabs PRLB $53.02 $1.72 $2.15 31x 25x
Materialise MTLS $18.43 $0.12 $0.23 151x 81x
SLM Solutions AM3D-DE $12.85 $(0.54) $0.11 NM 121x
Markforged MKFG $3.33 $(0.31) $(0.22) NM NM
Velo3D VLD $6.82 $(0.37) $(0.25) NM NM
Voxeljet VJET $4.60 $(0.85) $(0.91) NM NM
Average 111x 67x
EBITDA EV/EBITDA
Company Ticker Price
CY 22E CY 23E CY 22E CY 23E
3D Systems DDD $14.46 44 69 34x 22x
Stratasys SSYS $22.50 39 60 24x 16x
Desktop Metal DM $3.54 -84 -35 NM NM
Protolabs PRLB $53.02 99 116 14x 12x
Materialise MTLS $18.43 33 42 28x 22x
SLM Solutions AM3D-DE $12.85 1 17 NM 20x
Markforged MKFG $3.33 -43 -22 NM NM
Velo3D VLD $6.82 -49 -25 NM NM
Voxeljet VJET $4.60 -6 -6 NM NM
Average 25x 18x
Source: FactSet
Notes: All figures are in U.S. dollars. NM means “not meaningful.”
Sales EV/Sales
Company Ticker Price
CY 22E CY 23E CY 22E CY 23E
3D Systems DDD $14.46 $594 $656 2.5x 2.3x
Stratasys SSYS $22.50 $686 $745 1.4x 1.3x
Desktop Metal DM $3.54 $253 $361 2.0x 1.4x
Protolabs PRLB $53.02 $523 $575 2.7x 2.4x
Materialise MTLS $18.43 $247 $278 3.8x 3.4x
SLM Solutions AM3D-DE $12.85 $115 $148 3.0x 2.4x
Markforged MKFG $3.33 $120 $198 2.7x 1.6x
Velo3D VLD $6.82 $88 $153 12.1x 6.9x
Voxeljet VJET $4.60 $33 $45 1.0x 0.8x
Average 3.5x 2.5x
Source: FactSet
Outlook Shares of AM companies were largely sold off at the beginning of 2022.
This is in part due to the overall market dynamics surrounding high
growth and technology companies. From January 1, 2022, through March
7, 2022, shares of 3D Systems, Stratasys, Desktop Metal, Markforged,
Velo3D, and Voxeljet were down 33%, 8%, 29%, 38%, 13%, and 22%,
respectively. Relative to all-time historical high share prices, shares are
down about 80% on average for the group. Current valuations of AM
companies imply that investors generally anticipate growth across the
industry. Increases in demand are expected for 3D printing systems,
consumables, and part-building services.
The following table lists the 62 AM-related M&A closings. For deals in
2021, the total value is estimated to be more than $1.95 billion. The figures
in the “Amount” column are millions of dollars.
Investment
Date Companies Description
(millions)
Mar 2021 3D Metalforge IPO funding to expand services in Australia and the U.S. $7.8
Additive Manufacturing Tech. Develop automated post-processing of polymer parts $3.5
Mantle Develop a high-precision metal AM system $13
ValCUN Develop a proprietary metal AM process $1.8
Fortify Develop a system and materials for composite 3D printing $20
Velo3D SPAC funding for metal AM system producer $155
Wematter Develop AM system and hire new staff $4.8
Continued on following page
Investment
Date Companies Description
(millions)
Apr 2021 Revo Foods Expand production of 3D-printed salmon-like alternative protein $1.8
MX3D Launch a new robotic metal AM system $2.7
3YOURMIND Expanded series A funding to develop AM process chain software $6.9
May 2021 Shapeways SPAC funding through a merger with Galileo Acquisition Corp. $195
Remedy Health Series A funding to expand product range and begin U.S. production $11
Kings 3D Expand the range of VPP systems and develop new materials $15.6
Nexa3D Globalize operations and develop new systems $55
Formlabs Funding round led by SoftBank's Vision Fund 2 $150
Jun 2021 Relativity Space Series E funding to develop the Terran R 3D-printed rocket $650
Brinter Seed funding to develop bioprinting platform $1.4
Seurat Series B funding to further develop metal PBF process $41
3DM IPO on Tel Aviv Stock Exchange $13
IoTech Develop platform to deposit layers with high-viscosity multi-materials $2.5
July 2021 Inkbit Further develop VPP system $30
Mighty Buildings Series B funding to develop a construction system $22
Continuous Composites Series A funding to commercialize composite MEX system $17
FABRIC8LABS Series A funding to commercialize multi-material metal AM process $19.3
Freemelt Commercializing electron-beam PBF system $9.2
Aug 2021 Arevo Complete manufacturing facility for composite 3D printers $25
ICON Series B funding to develop concrete MEX systems $207
Holo Series B funding to develop metal VPP systems and materials –
Sep 2021 Fortius Develop aluminum materials for AM with improved grain structures $1.4
AON3D Develop MEX system for advanced engineering thermoplastics $11.5
Evolve Commercialize electrophotographic polymer printing technology $30
AM Batteries Develop AM process to produce lithium-ion batteries $3
6K Series C funding to expand production capacity $51
Mantle Series B funding to commercialize metal-paste MEX system $25
General Lattice Develop design tools to create lattice structures for AM parts $1
Nov 2021 Conflux Technology Series A funding to expand production of 3D-printed heat exchangers $6.3
Additive Manufacturing Tech. Series B funding to develop and launch post-processing systems $15
Immensa Expand local capabilities and launch into international markets $7
LightForce Orthodontics Series C funding to scale operations $50
Foundry Lab Develop digital microwave casting technology $8
Dec 2021 Prellis Biologics Series B funding to develop tools for 3D printing organs $14.5
UnionTech Series D funding to further develop VPP systems $31.4
Incus Series A funding to develop and industrialize metal VPP process –
Jan 2022 Adaxis Develop software to turn robots into large-scale 3D printers $1.1
Redefine Meat Expand 3D-printed meat operations worldwide $135
Seurat Series B funding to further develop metal PBF process $21
Feb 2022 Healshape Develop bioprinted implants for breast reconstruction $6.8
Elementum 3D Series B funding to develop advanced alloys for metal AM $22
Nuclera Further development and commercialization of a desktop bioprinter $42.5
Guangdong Hanbang 3D Develop and commercialize PBF and hybrid metal AM systems $60
Scrona Develop a 3D printer based on an electrostatic injection process $9.6
Headmade Materials Series A funding to develop a metal PBF process $9.1
Source: Wohlers Associates
CAD solid modeling Four distinct CAD-related technologies are driving mainstream
by Randall S. Newton engineering innovations. They are digital thread, digital twin, model-
based definition (MBD), and real-time simulation. All improve AM design
and processing.
MBD builds on the concepts of a digital thread and digital twin. It allows
everyone in the organization to have direct access to engineering data
without interventions such as 2D drawings or manually generated bills of
materials. MBD avoids potential duplication of data by different
departments and consolidates version control. Most modern
manufacturing equipment can communicate directly with 3D CAD models,
eliminating the creation of separate versions of part or product data for
each workflow. Also, quality requirements are easier to interpret in 3D
than in 2D. Processes are streamlined by starting with the MBD of the
product. These processes include simulation, manufacturing process
development, documentation, and the development of service instructions.
CAD vendors do not report seat counts with their quarterly revenue
reports. For this reason, unit sales growth is estimated based on revenue
statements. Estimates for the four largest CAD companies are shown in the
following table. These figures include worldwide sales revenue, net
income, and the estimated number of commercial CAD seats sold in 2021.
They also include the estimated cumulative total number of CAD seats sold
through the end of 2021.
Companies, continue to increase their use of AM for parts that go into final
products. Wohlers Associates asked companies “What percentage of this
segment of your business grew in 2021?” A total of 117 service providers
and 114 manufacturers of industrial AM systems responded to the
question. The responses were averaged and included in the following.
The same information was used to calculate the amount of money spent
annually on final part production worldwide. This is shown in the
following graph. The values are in thousands of dollars. An estimated $2.21
billion was spent on AM parts for end-use products in 2021, up 22.8%
from the year before. This represents revenue produced by service
providers worldwide. It excludes the value of end-use parts made by
manufacturing companies that are not service providers.
Benefits of AM AM becomes a candidate for final part production when it adds value
compared to parts made by conventional manufacturing processes.
for production Manufacturers are willing to consider a new production process when it
is significantly less expensive and/or improves value and product
performance. AM can help accomplish this by affecting key aspects of
product development and manufacturing, including:
▪ Elimination of tooling
▪ Digital inventories and on-demand manufacturing
▪ Reducing lead times, part numbers, and labor
▪ Lightweight parts
▪ Optimized structures
▪ Biomimicry
▪ Part consolidation, partly to reduce or eliminate assembly
▪ Reduction in waste
▪ Custom and limited-edition products
▪ Design changes after production has begun
▪ Same process and material for prototyping and production
Reduction of tooling Unlike plastic injection molding and metal casting, AM does not require
tooling to produce a part. This can reduce cost, lead time, and a product’s
time to market. Production delays due to damaged or worn tools are also
eliminated, along with tool maintenance, repair, storage, and scrap. AM
systems have maintenance costs and downtime similar to conventional
machines for manufacturing. However, issues associated with tooling do
not apply to AM.
Reduced lead time Having the option of quickly changing a product’s design on short notice
and on-demand is another benefit of using AM. Every part being built on an AM machine
can be different, so parts can be made to order. Manufacturers can react
manufacturing more quickly to changing market conditions, and production rates can
vary to match demand.
Using AM for on-demand production is perhaps best seen with spare parts.
When mechanical assemblies are made up of thousands of unique parts,
fabricating, tracking, and storing spare parts is costly. This is especially
true if only a few spare parts are deployed during the life of the assembly.
Transporting spare parts to and from a storage warehouse can become a
Reduced inventory and Just-in-time operations result in fewer parts held in inventory. AM reduces
part consolidation inventory by consolidating many parts into one and by on-demand
manufacturing. This reduces the need for on-site storage and off-site
warehousing. By reducing inventory, companies free up capital, providing
more flexibility to develop new products or invest in other businesses.
The combustion chamber for the CT7 engine contains thousands of holes
and normally would have been produced by assembling up to 50 parts.
Redesign and testing typically required one year, and five or six engineers
were dedicated to this effort. Using AM, one engineer designed and tested a
combustion chamber as a single part in less than six months. The new
design is 30% lighter than the conventional part.
Sustainability and Parts designed for AM can be more environmentally friendly to produce
waste reduction by reducing material waste or employing sustainable feedstock.
Sustainable materials typically require less energy to produce and have a
smaller carbon footprint. They include wood, stone, and other natural
materials.
Custom product Products are not always “one size fits all.” Rather than using adapters or
manufacturing manually customizing products, AM can be used to produce custom
products digitally. The following silver ring was custom designed using an
online interface by the customer and produced using AM by The Future of
Jewelry.
Generative design New technologies are appearing for AM, and as they do, new design
and biomimicry methods evolve to take advantage of these developments. The design
freedom of AM also creates an opportunity for advanced designs not
practical in conventional manufacturing. New design tools are needed to
“unlock” these opportunities.
The chair in the following image resulted from an exploration into organic
structures to optimize soft seating. The design was inspired by plant cell
structures. The result is a soft chair that adapts to a person and is
manufactured using a single material.
Design for additive Design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) focuses on techniques used to
maximize the value of AM for production applications. As Nyle Miyamoto
manufacturing of Boeing said, “DfAM opens the design space enabled by AM.” AM brings
both benefits and challenges to designers. Parts can be made with greater
complexity using fewer processes. Process requirements, however, are
very different from traditional manufacturing.
slot depth increases, the slot must become wider to avoid powder partially
or fully sintering in the slot, as shown in the following image. Information
like this is critical to producing quality parts, yet it is often difficult to find,
and few have documented and published it. These guidelines also cannot
be viewed as strict rules that apply to every situation, machine, and
material.
Lightweighting and With conventional manufacturing, material is often kept in a design to help
topology optimization with manufacturing. Examples include aiding the flow of molten material
throughout a mold, using shapes that are easier to machine, and features
Complex lattice Lightweight parts may be produced by adding lattice, mesh, and cellular
structures structures. This involves filling sections of a part with a structure that is
lighter than solid material. The external form of a part is often retained for
functional, ergonomic, or aesthetic reasons. The U.S. Air Force Institute of
Technology used AM to reduce the weight of a satellite “bus” by 50%. See
A new kind of lattice software tool has made it relatively easy to design
printable triply-periodic-minimal-surface (TPMS) structures such as
gyroids. These complex mathematical structures are useful because they
are self-supporting and printable without the need for support material.
They also have a large surface area, making them suitable for heat-transfer
applications such as heat exchangers.
Support material Metal PBF and other processes require support material, which is an
and post-process important design consideration. The goal is to use as little support
material as possible while securing the part to prevent unwanted
optimization distortion from heat during the build. A survey in connection with this
report shows that pre- and post-processing of AM parts represent about
38% of the total cost of a part. A significant part of post-processing can be
the time and effort to remove support material.
Any surface where support material is attached will have a much rougher
surface finish than faces without support material. Because of this, one of
the first considerations of DfAM is part orientation. This will impact the
location and amount of support material required.
The following example shows the need for support material on a basic
manifold. Normally, a manifold is made by drilling holes into a block of
material. Some of the holes must be plugged to form a network of
interconnected pipes. The following image shows a basic manifold design
with a plugged hole in purple.
With AM, most of the material can be removed to make a manifold lighter
and reduce build time and costs. However, if the design is simply shelled to
remove material without DfAM, the new design may require substantial
support material. The following image shows the required support
material in blue with two different build orientations.
Support material is required to anchor the part to the build plate and
secure overhanging features. With support material, features of the design
would warp and distort due to heat. The following are guidelines for
determining whether support material is required and how much is
needed:
The following images show six different designs printed in titanium from a
DfAM course conducted in Bloemfontein, South Africa by Wohlers
Associates. Each design satisfies the requirement of not moving the
location of the manifold ports, yet no design is identical. Each uses
methods of DfAM to nearly eliminate the need for support material.
Design for function: Consider all parts that perform a useful function in the
product. Focus on the task the product will perform. This can reveal
unneeded parts that are easily consolidated. Optimize the design, first for
its function, rather than the processes used to make it.
As a starting point, consider how each part would be oriented on its own to
minimize layering and/or microstructural anisotropy. This thinking often
leads to good options for part consolidation. Once consolidated, parts still
need to properly function.
Consolidate parts that are used to mount or encase other parts: If two parts
are made of the same material and do not move relative to one another,
consolidate them. If they are made from different materials, consider the
following:
▪ Are they made from different materials only for historical reasons? If so,
consider a single material. This could save material cost and processing
time.
▪ Are they different because of mechanical properties? If so, can the part
made of the stronger, more expensive material be made of the weaker,
less expensive material? Parts can be strengthened with ribs or hollow
sections.
▪ Are they different because of thermal or chemical properties? If so, can
the part made from the less resistant material be made from the more
resistant material?
▪ If the more expensive material must be used, would fewer parts justify
the cost of this material?
If more than one-third of the parts are fasteners, then the number of parts
and assembly logic should be questioned. The following is an example of
how part consolidation can eliminate many fasteners.
Improved fluid flow, The flow efficiency of gases and liquids around or inside a product is
highly dependent on part shape. In some instances, flow properties are
conformal cooling,
designed around manufacturing requirements and flow efficiency suffers
and efficiency as a result. Using the design freedom of AM, it is often possible to get
much closer to the optimal shape for fluid dynamics. Examples of this are
guide vanes in pumps, conformal cooling passages inside turbine blades,
and pin-fin arrays in heat exchangers.
The same principle applies to the mass of material used in a part to an even
greater extent. The less material mass, the better, as any unnecessary
material can represent a substantial increase in print time and cost.
Let’s consider the previous example of a larger 8 cm3 (0.5 in3) cube. If it is
hollowed to a wall thickness of 0.44 mm (0.02 in), the dimensions will
double the 1 cm3 (0.06 in3) cube. However, the volume of material would
be only 1 cm3 (0.06 in3), which is the same as the solid 1 cm3 (0.06 in3)
cube. This does not mean the larger shelled cube would cost the same as
the solid smaller cube. Its increased height means more layers and added
recoating time and machine cost. The cost would still be substantially
lower than that of the solid 2 cm (0.8 in) cube.
With good DfAM practices, a part’s mass can be reduced by 30–90% of its
solid mass. This results in greatly reduced part cost while increasing
functionality and decreasing shipping costs. These techniques are further
explained in the following sections.
Calculating part cost and 3D printing can be expensive for parts that have not been designed for AM.
The reasons for this are straightforward. Industrial AM systems are
factors impacting it
expensive and part production speed is relatively slow. A metal AM system
can cost more than $1 million. The total investment can exceed this
amount when adding support equipment, such as heat treatment furnaces,
wire electrical discharge machining (EDM), and CNC machining.
A metal AM machine can run up to about 80% of the time, which is around
7,000 hours per year. A common return on investment (ROI) period used
by industry to recoup the cost of capital equipment is about two years.
This, of course, varies from company to company.
According to this cost model, a single part that takes 10 hours to build
would incur a machine operation cost of $650. However, metal AM build
times are often substantially more than this. It is not uncommon for build
times to require 40, 60, or even 100 or more hours. If a part takes 100
hours to print, the machine cost is $6,500. This highlights the importance
of finding methods to reduce the build time whenever possible. Note that
whenever possible, multiple parts are built simultaneously to reduce the
cost per part. To gain the most from a system, companies will fully pack the
build chamber before starting a new job.
Operational costs for metal AM systems are high. Industrial CNC and
injection-molding machines can be comparable in price and have similar
hourly operating costs. A typical part with few complex features can be
CNC machined or injection molded in a fraction of the time it takes to 3D
print the part.
Some factors in the production of metal PBF parts, such as layer recoating
time, are not impacted by part design. Recoating is the time it takes for an
AM system to spread a layer of powder before the laser or electron beam
can continue the melting process. Typical recoating time is in the range of
4–15 seconds per layer, depending on the specific machine configuration.
Suppose a part is 100 mm (3.9 in) in height and the layer thickness is
50 µm (0.002 in). The part would consist of 2,000 layers, and the total
recoating time would be 16,000 seconds (4.5 hours) if the recoating time is
eight seconds per layer. Using an average machine hourly cost of $65 per
hour, the total cost of recoating time, alone, is about $290. The only way to
lower this cost is to reduce the build height if the layer thickness is
constant.
The following table shows the main steps involved in metal AM, and the
steps for which the total build time is affected by the design of a part.
Several design factors reduce build time. The amount of powder that needs
to be melted is the primary factor that impacts the time and cost of metal
PBF. It can be affected through design practices. The operational principle
of most metal AM systems is to melt the material in a serial fashion. The
laser or electron beam scans across each layer to fuse the powder. The
scanning path is referred to as contour lines on the part surface and
hatching patterns on the part interior. The process is analogous to filling a
solid circle with a pencil. First, the outer edge of the circle is drawn. The
pencil is then moved back and forth many times to fill in the circle. The
larger the surface area, the longer it takes to create each layer of a part.
The crosshatch scanning pattern for the layers in this part requires a long
scanning distance. If the manifold cross section measures 100 x 100 mm
(3.9 x 3.9 in), and the hatch spacing is set to 0.1 mm (0.004 in), each square
would require nearly 100 m (329 ft) of scanning. The beam must travel
this distance to create one layer. To relate this to part cost, if the beam
travels at 330 mm per second (13 in per second), it would take 300
seconds (five minutes) to solidify one layer of the part. In machine time, it
would cost $5.41 for each of the 2,000 layers—a total of $10,820—which is
an unwarranted cost. This part would also contain tremendous residual
stress due to the thick sections.
In contrast, if the bulk of the material is removed from the same part by
shelling it to a specified wall thickness, the total scanning distance is
greatly reduced, resulting in a much faster print time. If the shell thickness
is set to 2 mm (0.079 in), and the same hatch spacing parameters are used
as before, the total scan distance is about 4.5 m (14.8 ft)—a scan reduction
of more than 95%. If the beam travels at 330 mm per second (13 in per
second), it will take 13.6 seconds to hatch a part layer, which translates to
$0.24 in machine running cost per layer, which is a total machine cost of
$487 for the 2,000 layers.
When the shelled part is finished, the internal cavities are filled with
unmelted powder, which can remain if weight is not an issue. If weight is a
concern, openings can be added to provide access to remove the powder.
Typically, the interior of the part would be filled with support material or
lattice structures.
Avoiding large masses of material can also reduce the amount of thermal
stress relief required. If a part has no large masses of material and a mostly
regular wall thickness, it will contain less residual stress. Thus, heat-
treatment time can be reduced.
The following shows three versions of the block manifold. They include
ones that are: 1) conventionally machined and drilled, 2) adapted for AM,
but with substantial support structures and excess material, and 3) fully
optimized for AM. The third version can be built with minimal support
material, as shown.
The following table shows the time and estimated cost of the three designs.
It would be impractical to produce the solid block design using AM for
many reasons.
This example illustrates the impact that machine cost has on AM part
production. It is the most significant cost factor when using AM. It is
possible to reduce time and cost significantly by avoiding large masses of
material wherever possible. This shows that even a simple strategy of
replacing large masses of material with an even wall thickness can have a
substantial impact.
Software AM is a digitally driven technology. Digital models are created using CAD,
3D scanning, or another type of software tool. Software is critical in AM.
It creates new design possibilities and enhances performance for a given
workflow and application. Software is fundamental to design for AM and
is key to creating organic designs and unusually complex structures.
The following diagram identifies areas in the process chain where software
tools impact AM. The long boxes at the bottom represent software used
throughout the workflow. The dotted box and arrows represent steps that
may not be required in every instance. For example, process simulation
software is often used only for metal parts. Print management and quality
control apply to all workflows and can range from a simple visual
inspection to sophisticated metrology equipment and software.
AM software workflow
The following tables, while far from exhaustive, provide examples of the
types of software products used to drive AM for final part production.
Some products are multi-functional and are included in more than one
table.
3D scan-processing Some AM workflows use 3D scanning for final part inspection as one
By Michael Raphael aspect of quality control. Other workflows begin with redesigning an
existing product for which no CAD model exists. In these cases, reverse
engineering is used to capture the shape and geometric features of a
physical part. This is then imported into a CAD system for further
modification.
KVS QuickSurface ̶
www.mesh2surface.com Mesh2Surface for Rhino3D
Materialise 3-matic ̶
www.materialise.com Mimics
Magics
Matterport 3D Content Platform ̶
www.matterport.com
Meter Meter CT Inspection
www.meter.parts
Metrologic Group ̶ Metrolog
www.metrologicgroup.com
Nikon Metrology Focus Handheld Focus Inspection
www.nikonmetrology.com
Occipital Skanect
www.occipital.com
Polyga XTract3D ̶
www.polyga.com Flex
PTC Creo Reverse Engineering ̶
www.ptc.com Extension
ReconstructMe ReconstructMe ̶
www.reconstructme.net
Reverse Engineering.com HighRES Integrated Point ̶
www.reverseengineering.com Cloud Processor
RevWare RevWorks ̶
www.revware.net
Riven Riven _
www.riven.ai
Continued on following page
Topology optimization Much of design for AM is done using traditional CAD software. However, the
and generative design geometric complexity offered by AM often requires specialized design tools.
The following table lists software products for generative design, TO, and
lattice formation. These products differ from traditional CAD, although
some include 3D modeling capabilities. TO, for example, is a physics-driven
method in which the user sets up one or more load cases and design
parameters. Using FEA, the software identifies and eliminates material
elements that do not contribute to the function of a part.
Software tools for lattice, mesh, and cellular structures transform solid
volumes of a 3D model into many small trusses. These structures reduce
material and weight while maintaining sufficient load-bearing capabilities.
This is usually accomplished by transferring the completed model from a
traditional CAD system into specialized lattice-generating software.
Conversely, the output from optimization software is often input to a
traditional CAD system for additional work, such as surface smoothing.
Slicing and print Once a 3D model is ready to print, slicing and print preparation software
converts the model into data the AM system reads. These software tools are
preparation
presented in the following table. They are sometimes referred to as slicers
because they slice the 3D model into thin cross sections that represent the
layers of the part.
Security Security has become a difficult but necessary issue to address. Daily,
terabytes of data flow between designers, machinists, clients, and other
stakeholders, often by unsecured connections. With AM, digital data is
transformed into physical objects. Corrupted data could lead to a
catastrophic failure. Creative approaches are being developed to securely
produce and maintain designs and AM parts, as shown in the following
table.
Medical imaging Patient-specific medical devices and anatomical models almost always
by Andy Christensen originate from radiological imaging data. Medical image processing
and Nicole Wake software is used to translate between radiology file formats, most
commonly Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM),
and AM file formats. Theoretically, any volumetric radiological imaging
dataset could be used to create these devices and models. High-quality
medical image data is needed to produce models and devices.
array. In this way, CBCT allows for acquisition of a single image dataset
from one revolution of the source-detector pair. Benefits include simplified
logistics, ease of scanning, and reduced radiation exposure. However,
increasing the span of the beam degrades contrast resolution, making
segmentation somewhat difficult. Nevertheless, CBCT is very common for
clinical use, particularly in dental specialties, oral and maxillofacial
surgery, and ear, nose, and throat clinics. The ease of installation in a
clinical setting and a relatively low price point make it an attractive option.
It is also used for patient alignment tasks in radiation therapy and image-
guided surgery.
MRI image showing the same pelvis cross section as previous illustration;
bone (yellow arrow) is less visible, but the tumor (blue arrow)
is better defined, courtesy of Nicole Wake
Once a dataset has been acquired, the images are typically stored in a
hospital picture archive and communication system (PACS). The most
common format found today for medical imaging is the open-source
standard DICOM. Working Group 17 of the DICOM Standards Committee
has worked to support storage and encapsulation needs for 3D printing file
formats, including STL and OBJ.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been more active in the
last decade regarding the regulatory landscape for medical devices made
by AM. In 2014, the FDA held a public workshop on the subject attended by
more than 500 industry attendees. In May 2016, the FDA published a draft
guidance document entitled Technical Considerations for Additive
Manufactured Medical Devices. It outlines the administration’s collective
thinking on the topic. The draft technical guidance was made final in
December 2017. It is a formal reference from a regulatory and quality
assurance standpoint. Medical device manufacturers consult it when
working on a 3D-printed medical device. The FDA has reportedly cleared
more than 225 AM medical devices as of early 2022.
collaborated with the FDA to hold a joint meeting in August 2017. Also, a
collaboration occurred with the American College of Radiology (ACR) on
establishing new Category III CPT codes for anatomical models and guides.
The SIG collaborated with ACR to establish a first-of-its-kind Anatomic
Model Registry.
The following table lists some of the medical image processing software
products that have received FDA clearance. These products can be used to
produce 3D-printed anatomical models for diagnostic use.
The following table lists medical image processing software that has
received FDA clearance for advanced visualization of medical images in 3D.
They apply to on-screen visualization and not 3D printing, although they
may have non-diagnostic outputs that include 3D-printable files.
The following table lists medical image processing software products that
have not received FDA clearance. These products may be used for research
and other purposes.
Process monitoring Quality assurance (QA) is necessary to provide confidence for serial
production using metal PBF. Many conventional manufacturing
of metal powder processes competing with PBF are highly controlled and monitored to
bed fusion provide this level of confidence. In-situ process monitoring is one way to
by Luke Scime reach a level of QA that meets industry standards.
The relative complexity and novelty of metal PBF present challenges for
implementing traditional QA programs. However, the unique
characteristics of the process also present opportunities for
revolutionizing the QA paradigm by supporting the production of “born-
qualified” parts. The born-qualified approach contrasts traditional QA that
relies on performance statistics collected from a large volume of nominally
identical parts. They also depend on a historical understanding of long-
established methods of manufacturing. The layer-wise nature of PBF
permits observation of the internal volume of parts as they are produced.
Other challenges of metal PBF relate to the size and timescales over which
the processes operate. For example, detection of relevant porosity may
require collecting data with a spatial resolution in the order of 10 µm
(0.0004 in). This must be achieved for an entire build consisting of
Sensing techniques for PBF process monitoring generally fall into on-axis
or off-axis sensing. On-axis sensors are primarily applicable for laser-based
processes and “track” the melt pool throughout the entire build. Typically,
these sensors image the vapor plume light emissions just above the melt
pool. They can indicate melt pool size, stability, morphology, temperature,
and composition. The sensors must collect data at high rates (around 10
kHz) to capture the relevant dynamics and produce results with the
required spatial resolution. The most common on-axis sensors are
photodiodes of one- or two-color pyrometers, thermal imagers, visible-
light imagers, and spectrometers.
Off-axis sensors do not pass through the laser optics. They have either a
field of view covering the entire print area or a separate scanning
mechanism to scan the powder bed. Typically, such sensors produce one or
more “images” of the print area after each layer is printed. Common data
capture modalities include imaging after fusion of the layer, imaging after
spreading of the layer, and imaging during the layer fusion itself. These
sensors are often designed to detect part-scale cooling rates, powder
spreading issues, part distortion, ejecta from the melt pool, dimensional
tolerance deviations, and machine stability issues.
Visible light images captured immediately after layer fusion (left) and powder
spreading (right) on a laser PBF system, courtesy of the Manufacturing
Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
photon flux restricts this technique to only the largest X-ray sources,
making it non-viable for production-scale monitoring.
EOS EOS’s sensing capabilities are integrated into the EOSTATE Monitoring
software suite. EOSTATE Base tracks printer health and process
parameters. It monitors the oxygen concentration within the build
chamber, the status of the shielding gas filtration system, and build plate
temperature. EOSTATE PowderBed captures visible-light images of the
powder bed immediately after layer fusion and after powder spreading.
Currently, EOSTATE PowderBed is primarily a documentation feature,
although EOS and its partners are developing algorithms for automated
analysis of these layer images.
GE Additive GE Additive’s laser PBF systems are equipped with varying process
monitoring capabilities. Its M2 products log machine health data,
information about the shielding gas flow, oxygen concentration within
the build chamber, and build-plate temperature. The latest M2 models
are equipped with the QM Coating module. It captures visible-light
images of the powder bed immediately after layer fusion and after
powder spreading. These images are primarily used for documentation.
The optional TOMOTHERM module images the build area using an off-axis
near-infrared camera during layer fusion. By capturing data at a
moderately high frame rate, a single composite image can be constructed
for each layer. The SPAT-TRAK module uses a medium-speed thermal
imaging system to capture spatter events and spatially maps them for each
layer.
Renishaw Renishaw’s latest laser PBF systems are equipped with InfiniAM Central,
which logs information on machine health, machine productivity, and
build chamber conditions. This data can be streamed in real time and
compared across multiple print jobs and printers. Renishaw machines
are also equipped with the LaserVIEW and MeltVIEW modules. They use
multiple photodiodes, sensitive to different wavelengths, to measure
laser output and melt pool thermal emissions, respectively. This data can
be analyzed using the InfiniAM Spectral software, which can give insight
into off-nominal conditions and processing defects.
Sigma Labs Sigma Labs is a third-party provider of laser PBF hardware and software
process monitoring solutions. The company’s PrintRite3D system is
based around multiple complementary on-axis and off-axis photodiodes,
which are sensitive to specific wavelength ranges. By combining thermal
emissions data from multiple sensors, local temperatures around the
melt pool can be estimated.
SLM Solutions The process monitoring system from SLM Solutions includes the Layer
Control System (LCS), Laser Power Monitoring (LPM), and Melt Pool
Monitoring (MPM). LCS logs machine health information as well as
conditions inside the build chamber. Visible-light images of the powder
bed are also captured.
Velo3D Velo3D’s Assure software monitors the health of the machine, confirms
the parts are of good quality, and documents this information for the end-
user. The company’s Sapphire printers perform automatic laser
calibrations for each build. To reduce the need for support material, the
topology of the powder bed is monitored and variations or issues are
detected.
The detection of anomalies smaller than 100 µm (0.004 in) and effective
measurement of thin-walled structures requires higher resolution imagers
than those typically installed by the machine manufacturers. Perhaps the
greatest sensing challenge remains robust detection of relatively small,
subsurface porosity in laser PBF processes. For electron beam systems,
near-infrared imaging can be effective. Fortunately, industry and research
institutions are investing a large amount of effort in this specific area.
The PBF community will need to develop procedures for qualified data
collection and storage of extremely large datasets as part of a digital twin
approach. Creation of the “born-qualified” paradigm will also require
identifying the correlations between observed in-situ process signatures
and ex-situ measurements and part performance. Developing this
capability will require additional research into rapid characterization of
AM parts and integration with physics-informed modeling.
The three basic steps in the AM process are pre-processing, part building,
and post-processing. The first and third are detailed in the following tables.
Use of specific pre- and post-processing steps depends on the application
and specific part requirements.
Pre-processing
Metal powder Polymer powder Material Vat photo- Directed energy Material jetting Binder jetting
bed fusion bed fusion extrusion polymerization deposition
Check quality of Check quality of Check quality of Check quality of Check quality of Check quality of Check quality of
files and repair if files and repair if files and repair if files and repair if files and repair if files and repair if files and repair if
necessary necessary necessary necessary necessary necessary necessary
Prepare job in Prepare job in Prepare job in Prepare job in Prepare job in Prepare job in Prepare job in
software by software by software by software by software by software by software by
arranging parts arranging parts arranging parts arranging parts arranging parts arranging parts arranging parts
on build platform on build platform on build platform on build platform on build platform on build platform on build platform
and generating and generating and generating and generating and generating
support support support support support
structures structures structures structures structures
Clean AM system Clean AM system Clean AM system Clean AM system Clean AM system Clean AM system Clean AM system
Inert and preheat Inert and preheat Preheat build – Inert and preheat – Preheat build
build chamber build chamber chamber build chamber if chamber if
inert atmosphere necessary
system
Post-processing
Metal powder Polymer powder Material Vat photo- Directed energy Material jetting Binder jetting
bed fusion bed fusion extrusion polymerization deposition
Remove build Find and remove Remove parts Drain and recycle Remove build Remove parts Find and remove
plate from build parts from from build unused material plate from build from build parts from
chamber powder bed chamber as applicable chamber chamber powder bed
Remove loose Recycle Remove parts Remove parts Thermal stress Remove support Recycle
powder and remaining powder from build plate from build relief, if required material remaining powder
recycle as as applicable chamber mechanically, as applicable
applicable through waterjet,
or dissolution
Thermal stress Media-blast parts Remove support Wash off excess Remove parts Finish surface: Air-blast parts to
relief to remove material uncured resin in from build plate sand, paint, etc. remove surface
surface powder chemical bath powder
Remove parts Finish surface: Surface finish: Remove support Hot isostatic Inspect Chemically
from build plate tumble, sand, sand, vapor material pressing debind metal
dye, paint, etc. smooth, paint, parts (process
etc. dependent)
Inspect – – – – – –
Source: Wohlers Associates
Polymer parts When a build is complete, parts are removed from the build chamber,
along with excess build material. Depending on the process, this extra
material may be uncured liquid resin or loose powder. Much of it can
usually be reused.
The AM group at BMW uses a robot arm to transfer builds from its VPP
systems directly to automated washers. The company reports that the
robot increased the print-cell efficiency by more than 400%. With this
advancement, BMW claims that two M2 systems from Carbon could
provide the throughput of nine systems.
Parts from polymer PBF systems must cool before they are removed from
the build chamber. If parts are removed prematurely, they often warp due
to rapid, uneven cooling. Cooling typically takes about the same amount of
time as part printing. For example, if printing time is 10 hours, cooling is
about 10 hours. HP offers its Fast Cooling station, which pulls a vacuum
through the build chamber to reduce cooling time to a few hours for a full
build. The system also reclaims, filters, and mixes used powder for reuse.
Material extrusion (MEX), material jetting (MJT), and VPP use support
material to anchor parts to a build platform. These support structures are
removed after the build is complete. This is often a manual process,
particularly for MEX and VPP. These systems often build both the part and
support structures from the same material.
Some MEX systems print with soluble support material. The support
material on these parts is dissolved using a solution, often combined with
ultrasonic washing. This can take several hours, particularly if the support
material is in long internal channels. This type of support is advantageous
for fragile features that might otherwise be damaged if supports were
removed mechanically.
It is not unusual for the overall size of a part to exceed the AM system
build-volume dimensions. In this case, the part may be sectioned into
smaller parts that are printed and then joined in a post-processing step.
Gluing is the most common method. With most AM materials and
processes, common epoxy glues work well. With some AM materials,
including PBF polyamides, cyanoacrylate glues can be used. Joints can be
designed into the parts to help facilitate assembly and joining.
Surface treatment Most AM parts require finishing to achieve the desired surfaces and
dimensions. The degree of finishing depends on how the part will be
of polymer parts
used. Concept models and early prototype parts for rapid design iteration
may require little or no finishing.
A pattern used for investment casting or silicone rubber tooling, also called
vacuum casting, often requires extensive finishing to achieve an
exceptionally smooth surface. This includes the removal of all “stair steps”
caused by the layer-by-layer process and artifacts left from the support
structures. An experienced model maker typically does this finishing by
hand, although it may also include machining and polishing. Finishing
techniques vary by process, material, and required properties.
Applying textures to the surface of parts can hide the stair-step lines
caused by the layers. They are especially visible when curved surfaces are
nearly horizontal during the build.
As-printed part (center) and textured parts (left and right), courtesy of Olaf Diegel
Another critical prebuild step is determining the type and location of the
support structures. With metal PBF, support material is required for the
first series of layers, as well as unsupported layers that follow (i.e.,
overhanging features). Supports are more critical for parts built on laser
PBF systems than on electron beam systems. The surface where supports
are removed is rough and will likely need more finishing. If a surface needs
a machined tolerance, it can be advantageous to make this the supported
surface to minimize finishing time on all other surfaces.
Once a build is complete, loose metal powder is removed and often reused.
It is normally straightforward to remove the powder, but any loose
material not removed will likely become permanently attached or trapped
inside the parts. This could potentially make the parts unusable.
`
Heatsinks for LED headlight stacked in a build
chamber, courtesy of Betatype
Thermal processing After metal AM parts are cleaned and all excess material is removed, they
are usually stress-relieved to prevent warping. This usually occurs with
metal parts
the parts and supports still attached to the build plate. Hot isostatic
pressing (HIP) may be required, depending on the part’s application.
Another thermal processing step is solution heat treating and
precipitation hardening to strengthen, harden, and/or improve
homogeneity of the material. Thermal processing almost always changes
the microstructure of the part and provides different mechanical
properties compared to as-built parts.
Each layer is created by moving the laser or electron beam across the bed
and melting the top layer of powder. This fuses it to the layer below. Heat
flows from the melt pool into the solid metal below, helping the molten
metal cool and solidify. The laser or electron beam spot is extremely small,
so cooling and solidification happens in a matter of microseconds. The melt
pool solidifies and contracts as it cools in the solid state. This contraction is
greater than that of the cooler underlying material, resulting in residual
stress. This stress over hundreds or thousands of layers can be sufficiently
widespread and can be substantial enough to bend a build plate.
Stress relief involves slowly ramping up the heat several hundred degrees
and holding at a prescribed temperature. Parts remain in the furnace for
several hours, annealing the material and relieving internal stresses. The
total length of time depends on the design and mass of the part. It is
important that all sections of a part reach the same temperature. The parts
should cool down slowly in the furnace to about 300°C (572°F), then finish
cooling in an ambient environment.
HIP is a treatment that uses high pressure and heat to remove porosity and
microcracks. Inert gas, such as argon, is used to prevent chemical reactions
with the material. HIP post-processing is common for safety-critical metal
AM parts for applications in aerospace and biomedical fields. After HIP,
parts can exhibit mechanical properties equivalent to wrought material
properties. Companies such as Quintus Technologies have developed
furnaces that combine stress relief, HIP, solution heat treatment, and aging.
For metal BJT, as-printed parts are in a green state and must be sintered to
reach near-full density. The sintering process has been pioneered by the
metal injection-molding and powder-metallurgy industries, but it is
applied to AM differently. First, the anisotropy inherent in AM’s layer-by-
layer process can produce uneven contraction across a part. If the process
is not very carefully controlled, small inconsistencies in the green part
magnify during sintering. This can cause dimensional scatter and out-of-
specification final parts.
Metal support Support material removal for metal parts can be difficult, expensive, and
time consuming. Consequently, it is important to design metal parts for
material removal
AM to minimize the need for support structures.
Parts and the support structures are initially welded to the build plate.
After thermal stress relief, the first step is to remove the parts and support
structures from the build plate. This is generally done with electrical
discharge machining, a bandsaw, or multitool.
Aluminum pen stand being removed from build plate using a multitool
After the support material has been removed, the part surface can be
treated by shot peening, media blasting, grinding, polishing, and/or
machining.
The following table shows the time required for each pre- and post-
processing step required to produce one complete aluminum pen stand,
shown in the preceding example. The parts were not heat treated, which
would add about eight hours to the process.
Task Time
(hrs:min)
File preparation 0:45
Machine preparation 1:00
Printing* 2:40
Machine cleaning 1:00
Removal from build plate 0:05
Support removal 0:30
Filing, sanding, shot peening 0:20
Polishing (optional) 1:30
* Print time per part if 13 parts are included
in the build. If one part is printed, the build
time is 7 hours and 53 minutes.
Metal surface treatment All metal AM parts have some measure of surface roughness. It is
determined by the AM process, feedstock particle size, layer thickness,
build orientation, and the presence of supports. It can be difficult to
determine the surface roughness before a part is built. This is because
the finish of top, bottom, angled, and vertical surfaces can differ
substantially.
Most metal AM parts are media blasted, usually with sand or glass beads,
as the first post-processing step after the support material is removed.
This process helps to remove any residual powder that is still attached.
Shot peening is similar to sand blasting but typically uses small steel ball
bearings or other media. Whereas sand blasting is an abrasive process that
removes material from the surface, shot peening is a microhammering
process that flattens tiny peaks on the part surface. It has a forging effect
on the part that both smooths and hardens the surface.
Plasma cleaning is a process for removing material from the part surface
using an ionized gas, called plasma. It is generally performed in a vacuum
chamber. The plasma is created using high-frequency voltage to ionize the
low-pressure gas (typically around 1/1,000 atmospheric pressure),
although atmospheric pressure plasmas are also common.
With metal AM, the down-facing part surface, and any area that contacts
support material, is usually rough. The top surfaces can also have patterns
left behind by different laser-hatching strategies. These surfaces are
improved by grinding or machining.
Often, mounting complex AM parts in a CNC machine can take longer than
the machining time. Therefore, fixtures and mounting points can be added
to a part design to facilitate mounting. A convenient practice is to make the
area that must be machined the down-facing surface that contacts the
support structure, although this is not always possible.
For polymer PBF, companies are also automating powder removal and
surface finishing. The Powershot line of systems from DyeMansion are
designed to clean and smooth the surfaces of parts. Cycle times can be less
than 10 minutes, although total time depends on the types of parts being
processed.
Polymer PBF part after Powershot (left) and after vapor smoothing
and dyeing (right), courtesy of DyeMansion
AM part inspection Part inspection is an important step in the AM value chain. Two primary
by Alex Doukas approaches are non-destructive testing (NDT) and destructive testing.
NDT is often a more appealing option, since parts are not destroyed to
obtain data. Frequently used methods for data acquisition include
coordinate measuring machines (CMMs), CT scanning, structured light
scanning, and laser scanning. Each method has benefits and limitations.
Depending on the part’s geometric complexity, multiple methods may be
needed for complete inspection.
Structured light and laser scanning systems can capture millions of data
points accurately and quickly. The data can be analyzed to obtain critical
dimensions, which can be compared to the part’s designed dimensions.
These scanning processes use line-of-sight data acquisition, which makes
them impractical to inspect some geometric features, such as undercuts,
deep pockets, and holes. Both non-contact scanning techniques may
require additional post-processing to reduce the effects of reflections.
Polymer and metal parts with a matte finish are most suitable for these
inspection techniques.
Each inspection method has specific benefits and tradeoffs. The method
should be chosen on a case-by-case basis depending on several factors.
They include the required accuracy, the need to inspect internal volumes
and/or features, material properties, time, and cost. Inspection methods
and techniques are constantly improving to meet the needs of the AM
market.
Costs and The benefits described near the beginning of this part justify the use of
AM for series production by increasing product value. However,
challenges challenges associated with AM can often nullify these benefits if not
managed properly.
Operating costs Two primary expenses are machine time and materials. Most AM machines
suitable for final part production are expensive to purchase, operate, and
maintain. The machine depreciation usually spans several years and is
divided among all parts built in that time interval.
Cost justification A key to success with AM is comprehensive and realistic cost justification.
When a simple one-to-one cost comparison between AM and conventional
processes is made, the range of products for which AM is suited is small. A
business case for AM will likely fail if it relies solely on this approach.
Instead, the broader product life cycle and total manufacturing cost should
be considered.
Machine throughput Another way to reduce the cost of AM parts is to increase machine
throughput. Machine depreciation cost can be spread over a larger number
of parts. Throughput can be increased with faster operating speeds, larger
build volumes, optimized part packing in build chambers, and automated
loading and unloading of parts. Many metal PBF system manufacturers
provide machines with multiple lasers to speed the build process. Among
them are Additive Industries, EOS, GE Additive, SLM Solutions, and
Trumpf.
Metal part production Metal part production using AM presents challenges and is typically costly.
cost considerations The build is one step in a multi-stage workflow that requires both proper
equipment and experience.
Safety considerations Metal PBF systems require several safety considerations. One concern is
the safe use of reactive powders, such as titanium and aluminum. Both can
ignite, burn, and even explode under certain conditions. It is important to
take special safety precautions when using these types of powders. A class
D fire extinguisher is required, at minimum. Storage of powders, especially
in large quantities, comes with special requirements that can be expensive.
Facility considerations Metal PBF systems operate optimally when the ambient temperature and
humidity are maintained at levels recommended by the machine
manufacturer. Air conditioners, humidifiers, or dehumidifiers are usually
necessary. Initial cost can be in the range of $10,000, but this can vary
greatly depending on the size of the room where the machine is installed.
New gas lines and electrical capacity are often required when installing a
metal PBF system. For reactive metal powder, a sprinkler-based fire
extinguishing system should be disabled because metal powder can react
dangerously to water. It may be advisable to install sensors to detect the
level of gases, such as oxygen, in the air. If an argon gas leak occurs, it could
quickly cause asphyxiation, particularly if the room is small.
Additional equipment An industrial air compressor is often required and can cost $30,000. A
sandblaster is needed to remove powder attached to parts and can cost
about $12,000. A shot-peening cabinet, which can cost $15,000, is useful
for improving the surface finish of parts. Industrial vacuum cleaners are
also required and can cost $19,000. It is very important that they are
intrinsically safe and can be used with reactive powders.
A heat treatment furnace will cost $15,000–30,000, and one used for
titanium can cost $100,000. Equipment is needed for removing parts from
the build plate, such as a bandsaw ($10,000–25,000) or a wire EDM system
($50,000–200,000). Electricity can cost $3,000 or more annually,
depending on local pricing and the amount used.
Qualification and quality Rigorous and consistent production quality control is critical in certain
industries. This is most notable in aerospace and healthcare. These
industries are highly regulated, and the qualification of new processes and
materials can be time consuming, complex, and expensive. AM parts must
satisfy the same regulatory standards for acceptance as conventionally
manufactured parts. Regulations and standards, if they exist, often dictate
the level of defects, material properties, traceability, and process
certification that new solutions must meet. In this case, AM technologies
do not necessarily suffer from an absence of capability, but from a lack of
consistency and an insufficient body of supporting data.
Educating designers People must think in a different way when designing for AM. They can
concentrate more on functionality and less on manufacturability.
Education can be addressed through guidelines, courses, and hands-on
learning.
Wohlers Associates has produced its own version of DfAM guidelines for
its training and hands-on learning. Olaf Diegel, lead instructor of the
courses, stresses repeatedly that guidelines can only help form an intuition
for design and will never replace hands-on practice.
DfAM education can occur at many levels, starting at ages 12–15, through
university students and on-the-job training. The earlier DfAM is introduced
to a designer, the better. Experienced designers know how to make
products look and work, and most will understand the benefits that AM
offers.
Scaling AM into Many companies are moving toward the production of final products
made by AM. Scaling AM from prototyping to series production typically
production requires changes and upgrades to methods and tools. Among them are
by Doug Collins and Greg Morris software, post-processing, maintenance, quality control, finishing
capabilities, and staff training.
Production systems Scaling AM to production volumes can be difficult, although it does not
inherently require purchasing more machines. Throughput can be
increased with more efficient use of existing systems. Some AM processes
are better suited to series production than others.
For polymers, PBF systems can nest parts in 3D space because the
surrounding loose powder serves as support material. Many parts can be
printed in a single build, which can result in increased productivity. Care
must be taken in full-chamber builds to avoid running out of powder near
the end of the build. This occurs when an insufficient amount of powder is
transferred to the powder bed as layers are spread. Some PBF systems
increase output by printing a full-width layer in a single pass. For laser-
based PBF systems, multiple lasers result in faster build times.
For MEX, print farms of many machines can run to reach series production
rates. This approach is also used with VPP and PBF systems. MEX printers
have been developed with large build chambers and multiple print heads
to increase throughput.
Software Nesting algorithms and MES software are critical for scaling AM to
production. Nesting algorithms help arrange parts digitally in 3D space
before printing. Part orientation is selected based on consideration of
surface finish, tolerance, and material properties.
MES software tracks parts from the initial quote to delivery. This includes
build planning and control, machine monitoring, error tracking, post-
processing, and quality control. These software tools become essential as
production quantities increase. The tools track materials, parts, and
capacity, which can improve quality and foster better communication with
customers.
Staff and maintenance Experienced staff can make a difference in the quality of parts, customer
service, and support. Labor-intensive aspects of the AM process include
pre-production (e.g., nesting parts and production scheduling), printer
operations, post-processing, and quality control. Equipment is typically
operated at the highest capacity possible for series production. Both
preventative maintenance and rapid equipment repair require skilled
staff to prevent significant downtime.
Post-processing Post-processing typically requires more manual labor than any other part
of the AM process chain. Companies offer automated equipment that can
greatly reduce the time and labor needed for post-processing.
Finishing Production parts may require extensive finishing, which adds significant
value. However, finishing can be labor intensive and expensive.
Some parts require threaded inserts or assembly with other parts to create
subassemblies or finished products. Dyeing can be used to add color to
polymer PBF parts and can be partially automated to reduce labor. Coating
is a finishing technique in which parts are sprayed in a paint booth by
skilled staff. Coatings add color, scratch resistance, UV protection,
electrostatic discharge protection, and a desired sheen.
Any surface of an AM part that has not been machined or otherwise post-
processed will likely have some degree of stair-stepping on the surface.
Finishing these surfaces is often required either to improve part aesthetics
or, in some instances, mechanical properties. Reducing surface roughness
can improve fatigue properties and eliminate potential flow obstructions.
Quality control Quality control (QC) becomes a much larger and more involved task
when scaling to manufacturing quantities. It is important to control
dimensional accuracy, printing defects, support and powder removal,
part cleaning, and mechanical properties. Special tools are often required
for QC. They include metrology equipment, 3D scanners, mechanical
testers, and a range of measurement tools to check dimensions and
tolerances.
The U.S. continues to serve as home to more than three times the number
of industrial AM systems than any other country. China, Japan, and
Germany have the next largest installation base of machines.
Except for Japan, the adoption of AM in Asia began much later than in the
U.S. and Europe. Companies in Asia were mostly experimenting with the
technology in the late 1990s. Most early machine installations in Asia were
at technology transfer centers, universities, and training centers. In recent
years, the use of AM has progressed rapidly in Asia, especially in China,
Japan, Korea, and Singapore.
India The pandemic caused an economic slowdown in India in 2021 but also
by Mukesh Agarwala provided new opportunities for entrepreneurs in the AM industry. Many
innovative AM activities were initiated on short notice in response to the
pandemic. Several AM systems from Indian manufacturers were
announced.
The Sahajanand Group, pioneers of laser processing for the diamond and
medical industries, introduced four vat photopolymerization (VPP)
systems, the INSL 300, 600, 800, and 1100. Several Indian companies
launched desktop 3D printers using digital light processing (DLP)
technology in 2021, including 3Dware. Indo-MIM, a leading metal
injection-molding company, started supplying steel, Inconel, and titanium
powders specifically made for PBF technologies.
Intech Additive Solutions was the first domestic company to enter the PBF-
system market in India and has benefitted from government support. As a
result, the company has successfully sold many of its iFusion SF systems to
educational institutions and government-sponsored organizations. At
Formnext 2021, Intech made its first overseas sale to a customer in Greece.
Production of high-quality AM systems in the country will advance India’s
goal of becoming a major international AM player.
Japan The AM market in Japan has been growing slowly but steadily. The
by Hideaki Oba medals ceremony podium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics
was 3D printed on a material extrusion (MEX) system that uses plastic
pellets as feedstock. The plastic was mainly recycled soap and detergent
bottles collected by Procter & Gamble. The project was an industry-
academia-government collaboration led by Hiroya Tanaka of Keio
University. The university aims to promote recycling using digital
technologies, including 3D printing. The podium project was adopted as a
COI-NEXT program by the Japan Science and Technology Agency.
Slab Corp., a Kyoto startup, has developed a large MEX system called Cha-
shitsu, which means “traditional tea ceremony room” in Japanese. The
build volume is 3 x 3 x 3 m (118 x 118 x 118 in), and it features a pellet-fed
extrusion print head. The company 3D printed a bench measuring 2.8 x 1.2
x 1.1 m (110 x 47 x 43 in) in 24 hours.
South Korea The South Korean market for AM systems and services grew to an
by Keun Park estimated $375 million in 2021, an increase of 5% over 2020. More than
400 AM-related companies are operating in the country. They include
178 service providers, 133 distributors of AM products, 65 system
manufacturers, 16 material producers, and 14 software developers.
DLP light engines made by Young Optics have been integrated into many
3D printers for dental and jewelry applications. Phrozen developed a
desktop liquid crystal display (LCD) VPP system with 8,000 and 4,000
pixels. Circle Metal Powder and Chung Yo Materials continue to invest in
developing metal powders for AM.
Australia Despite many challenges, the AM industry had high resilience in 2021.
by Milan Brandt and New opportunities arose through federal government programs,
Simon Marriott including the Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI). No major AM
conferences or exhibitions took place in 2021 due to lockdown
restrictions imposed by state governments.
SPEE3D received an MMI grant for the SPAC3D project. It will investigate
using a copper alloy with the aim of making low-cost 3D-printed rocket
engines. The rocket nozzle liner shown in the following image took 3.3
hours to build in copper. It measures 300 mm (11.8 in) in height and
weighs 17.9 kg (39.5 lbs).
New Zealand Despite the pandemic, most AM service providers in New Zealand
by Olaf Diegel reported growth in 2021. Several industrial AM systems were purchased
for more than $100,000 each. They included three metal AM systems,
with an additional three machines ordered by early February 2022. Other
new installations included three Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) machines from
HP, a full-color material jetting (MJT) system, and several industrial VPP
systems. The overall growth of the New Zealand AM market in 2021 is
estimated to be 20–30%.
Foundry Lab, based in Wellington, raised $11 million for its Digital Metal
Casting process focused on making metal casting easier. The process uses
BJT to print a mold. A microwave furnace melts a block of metal into the
mold. The process eliminates the need to pour molten metal.
Except for a few small AM-related research projects, the New Zealand
government has not provided major funding for infrastructure or research.
The New Zealand government is developing an advanced manufacturing
plan for industry, which is expected to include AM.
Lithoz expanded its ceramic VPP offerings by launching the CeraFab Lab
L30, a new compact entry-level system. The company opened a flagship
innovation lab at its Vienna headquarters and a second production facility
that is 2,200 m2 (23,680 ft2) in size.
Cubicure released its large-scale Cerion VPP system. The product is said to
increase throughput by 5,000% compared to existing hot lithography VPP
systems. The system has a moving DLP engine that can expose the build
area of 1000 x 280 mm (39.4 x 11 in) with a resolution of 50 m (0.0020
in).
The 8th Austrian 3D-Printing Forum took place in 2021. The 6th Metal
Additive Manufacturing Conference had options for both in-person and
online attendance. The European Conference on Structural Integrity of
Additive Manufactured Materials 2021 was an international online event
focused on fracture mechanics of AM.
Metal AM is a key focus area for many R&D projects at Belgium’s leading
universities. AM R&D is also progressing in higher education and at
research institutes such as A6K, Flanders Make, Imec, and VITO. Research
covers a wide range of AM processes, applications, and technology
readiness levels. Educational institutions are making significant
investments to increase 3D-printing capacity.
The Danish construction sector is increasing its use of AM. 3DCP Group,
COBOD, and WOHN are applying AM with the hope of transforming
construction into a sustainable industry. Startup companies, including
3DCP, Drizzle, Nobula3D, Quantica 3D, and WOHN, are introducing AM
products and new business models.
Finland Finnish companies are increasingly using AM for production. EOS is the
by Mika Salmi largest AM company in Finland, and it continues to develop processes
and materials for metal and polymer PBF.
Neles delivered its first 3D-printed pressure-retaining valve body for field
testing at the Teollisuuden Voima Oyj’s Olkiluoto nuclear power plant.
Brinter raised €1.2 million in seed funding to expand its bioprinting
operations.
3D-printed metal valve body removed from build plate (left) and assembled
with machined circular flanges (right), courtesy of Neles
Since 2017, Erpro Group has used AM to mass produce more than 18
million mascara brushes for Chanel. In 2021, the company began to use AM
to produce eyeglass frames for Lexilens from Abeye. The company claims
the glasses make reading easier for children and adults with dyslexia. The
glasses are being marketed by Atol, a chain of opticians in France. Erpro
Group produces the frames in PA11 using HP’s Jet Fusion 5200 printers.
Germany The pandemic continued to affect the German AM community and its
by Sebastian Piegert activities in 2021. Even so, the German AM ecosystem continued to
and Christian Seidel develop. A major emerging trend is the partnering of complementary
organizations to develop capabilities along the entire AM value chain.
Another key area of concentration is centered around reducing the
carbon footprint, achieving climate neutrality, and improving
manufacturing sustainability. Announcements in this area were made by
Arburg, DMG Mori, and EOS.
The M220 MEX system from Apium was used at hospitals to manufacture
custom implants in polyether ether ketone (PEEK). Arburg announced the
introduction of a high-temperature version of the Freeformer 300-3X
system, which can use PEEK pellets as feedstock. Arburg subsidiary
InnovatiQ launched the LIQ 7 system, which is capable of 3D printing
silicone in full color. EOS released two new high-performance materials,
Al2139 AM aluminum and IN939 nickel alloy.
Both Rapid.Tech and the 5th Additive Manufacturing Forum Berlin were
held as virtual events. Formnext, the leading AM event in Germany, was
held as a hybrid online and in-person event in Frankfurt in November
2021. Many conferences used hybrid formats, including SurfAM3 in
Dresden and the 46th MPA Seminar in Stuttgart.
Hungary The pandemic has had minimal impact on the AM industry in Hungary.
by Miklos Odrobina This contributed to significant market growth in 2021. The medical and
dental sectors show great potential for the future. MEX is the most
common 3D printing technology, but demand for VPP and metal AM is
increasing. An estimated 3% of Hungarian companies have used AM.
Due to the pandemic, the aviation market continues to struggle and has not
yet experienced a turnaround. The growth of electric vehicles and related
R&D activities has provided momentum to increase AM adoption in the
automotive sector. This is exemplified by XEV’s launch of the YOYO fully
electric car, primarily produced using AM.
The Italian medical sector has recovered partially from the pandemic due
to government activities and many commercial initiatives. In March 2021,
LimaCorporate announced the opening of the ProMade Point of Care
Center at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, New York. This
industry-owned and operated center designs and 3D prints custom
implants to treat complex clinical cases.
Roboze released its new Automate software and the ARGO 1000 industrial
MEX system. Italian system manufacturer WASP completed the printing
phase of its TECLA sustainable living project using the Crane WASP system.
Velo3D signed an exclusive agreement with CRP Meccanica, a CNC
machining service provider, to distribute its metal 3D printing systems in
Italy.
MX3D uses wire-arc AM to 3D print parts for metal bridges. The company
received additional funding in 2021. Other companies that offer medium-
and large-format AM systems in the Netherlands are 10XL, Builder, CEAD,
The New Raw, Poly Products, Ramlab, Royal3D, and Tractus3D.
Norway Sustainability efforts and the negative impact of the pandemic on supply
by Klas Boivie chains have renewed interest in AM in Norway. More companies are
using AM to shorten supply chains and repair parts.
Poland The Ministry of Education and Science launched the Laboratories of the
by Andrzej Kesy and Future initiative for students. In cooperation with the Chancellery of the
Ireneusz Musiałek Prime Minister of Poland, the program will help students acquire
practical skills through experimentation. The cost of the program is
1 billion Polish zloty ($223.2 million) and will include laboratories with
3D-printing capabilities.
3dArtech has developed the SkribiArt MEX system for construction and
artistic applications. The technology processes plaster and ceramics. The
printer can produce fire-retardant, acoustic, and decorative wall panels
with self-supporting structures.
March 2022 due to the pandemic. The event targets system manufacturers,
resellers, service providers, and other AM stakeholders. It aims to increase
AM adoption within Portugal.
Romania More than 50 new laser PBF systems were installed in 2021, mainly at
by Nicolae Balc dental labs in the country. AM service provider NUTechnologies
completed an extensive survey focused on the aims, expectations, and
future direction of the AM industry in Romania. According to the survey,
metal AM applications and a drive toward Industry 4.0 integration and
automation are expected to increase significantly in 2022.
CAD Works installed new AM machines, including a ProX SLS 6100 from
3D Systems and a Markforged X7 MEX system. The company’s plan is to
extend its 3D-printing services from prototyping to serial production.
The Horizon 2020 project titled Webs of Innovation and Value Chains of
AM Under Consideration of Responsible Research and Innovation finished
in October 2021. A simulation model of the AM community’s response to
various changes in the public funding environment has been developed
and tested.
Spain After the difficulties caused by the pandemic, the AM sector in Spain
by Naiara Zubizarreta mostly recovered in 2021. Members of the Additive and 3D
Manufacturing Technologies Association of Spain (ADDIMAT) reported a
good year for sales and revenue. Jaume Homs, the newly-elected
president of ADDIMAT said, “Spain is on the right track. The rate of
adoption of AM in our country is moderate, but continuous.” ADDIMAT
membership continues to grow and surpassed 100 members in 2021.
ITP Aero designed and 3D printed the tail bearing housing for Rolls-
Royce’s UltraFan jet engine. The company is a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce.
Using AM, the company claims the sound emitted by the turbine was
reduced by 50%.
ADDIT3D, the Spanish AM trade show, was held in October 2021 in Bilbao.
During the event, ADDIMAT chaired the CTN 324 Additive Manufacturing
committee meeting. The committee was recently created by UNE, the
Spanish Association for Standardization. The annual ADDIT3D event is
scheduled for June 2022 at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre. It will run parallel
with the Biennial Machine Tool Exhibition, the largest industrial exhibition
in Spain.
Startup Swissto12 produces radio frequency products using metal AM. Its
customer base includes leading companies in this field. Another startup, 9T
Labs, aims to provide a seamlessly integrated workflow solution that
combines advanced software algorithms, 3D printing technology, and post-
processing.
Turkey The pandemic and exchange rate fluctuations have significantly affected
by Burak Pekcan the AM industry in Turkey. Only a few systems have been purchased and
installed. This has provided an opportunity for Turkish AM service
providers to grow and develop their businesses. For example, +90 has set
up the first DfAM team in the region.
United Kingdom The pandemic continues to affect the AM sector in the UK. Suppressed
by David Wimpenny demand from industry and funding constraints have delayed some key
and David Brackett aerospace development programs. Despite these challenges, the
development and use of AM in the UK continue to advance.
Middle East The adoption of AM in the Middle East continues to increase. Much of the
work is in Israel, where startups and others are developing AM
technology. Systems for printing food, especially meat, are emerging in
Israel. People in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are particularly
interested in using large AM systems for construction applications, with
several initiatives underway.
DentCase VPP dental 3D printer with build area (left) and post-
processing station (right), courtesy of Mogassam
Iran The AM industry in Iran grew in 2021 despite the pandemic. In the
by Babak Kianian medical sector, an increasing number of surgeries were performed with
the aid of 3D-printed implants. Bonash Medical manufactures patient-
specific craniomaxillofacial and spinal implants. Its services have been
approved by the National Medical Device Directorate. The energy sector
is purchasing AM machines and parts.
AM parts on the MGT-70 and MGT-30 engines had run for 32,000 and
9,000 equivalent operating hours, respectively, by early 2022. AM R&D
activities in the MAPNA group also include measuring residual stress in
Inconel 625 parts and using abrasive flow machining for surface
modification. Other projects include the use of nickel-based superalloys
with PBF and redesigning combustion chamber parts for land-based gas
turbines.
Noura Co. has released new features for its metal PBF machines. They
include real-time system monitoring, improved recoating control, a more
durable filtration system, and manufacturing execution systems (MES)
software for customers using several machines.
Massivit raised $44 million on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) in
February 2021. The company shipped a beta version of a new system to
Kanfit, an Israeli customer. The system prints tooling for composites
manufacturing. Tritone launched a mid-range system for printing metal
parts based on its Moldjet technology.
IO Tech received funding from Henkel, ASM Pacific Technology, and other
investors. The company shipped its first beta system in 2021. Castor raised
$3.5 million from Xerox and other investors. Assembrix collaborated with
3T Additive Manufacturing, BEAMIT Group, Boeing, and EOS to
demonstrate a secure data transfer platform for distributed
manufacturing.
The Israeli 3D-printed food sector grew in 2021. MeaTech printed its first
steak made from cultivated animal tissue. SavorEat launched a 3D-printed
vegetarian burger produced on-site in restaurants. Redefine Meat
launched a 3D-printed steak based on alternative vegetable proteins.
Other regions Other regions of the world are embracing AM at many levels. The
following provides reports from Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the U.S.
Brazil The number of AM machines sold in Brazil reached a similar level to 2019
by Jorge Vicente of about 40,000 units. Adoption of metal AM for dental crowns and
Lopes da Silva implants continues to grow. Engimplan, a Materialise company, is
producing VPP occlusal positioning guides. Eight companies are using or
are seeking approval to use metal PBF for medical applications in Brazil.
Petrobras, a producer of oil and gas, uses wire-arc and laser DED to
produce spare parts. Ampro Innovations, Carpenter Additive, and Skyline
have entered into agreements with Brazilian representatives for AM
machines, powders, and atomizers, respectively. Braskem, a Brazilian
multinational petrochemical company, has started producing
polypropylene filaments. Omnitek and Alkimat, producers of metal PBF
equipment, are now offering AM as a service. In 2021, the companies sold
machines locally, mainly for research purposes.
South Africa Since the first AM system was installed in South Africa 30 years ago, the
by Deon de Beer and country’s AM market has shown steady growth. Even during the
Gerrie Booysen pandemic, the AM industry continued to create opportunities. Significant
progress has been made in developing new AM applications, especially in
the medical field.
United States The AM industry in the U.S. continues to grow despite the negative
impact of the pandemic. Global supply-chain challenges affected the
delivery of materials, but the demand for AM remains high. Additional
activity in the U.S. can be found throughout this report, including
significant R&D projects in Part 6.
Cobra Golf released the King Putter series of golf clubs. The internal
structure of the putters is 3D printed on an MJF system from HP. The
company also released a limited production series of the King Supersport-
35 Putters that use metal BJT from HP. Fitz Frames, an Ohio company,
continued to sell personalized 3D-printed glasses for adults and children.
Many new U.S. companies are entering the AM market or gaining market
traction. 3DEO, a California manufacturing company, announced it had
shipped its one-millionth 3D-printed part to a customer. The company
uses a proprietary hybrid BJT and CNC system. ICON and Mighty Buildings
are developing a business model for 3D printing sections, such as walls, for
homes and other buildings.
Azul 3D launched a new VPP system. The company has partnered with
Wilson Sporting Goods to manufacture pickleball paddle inserts. Zellerfeld,
a New York company, is manufacturing standard and custom-fit 3D-
printed shoes using thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The company
reported that it had taken six years to develop a business model and
capacity to scale the printing of shoes.
The U.S. Marine Corps has created a digital parts inventory for the 3D
printing of spare parts. The digital inventory will host files that can be
printed on-demand at nearly any location. The Marine Corps operates
more than 300 3D printers across its facilities.
Multiple AM industry events were held in-person across the U.S. In May
2021, the Additive Manufacturing User Group (AMUG) conference was
held in Orlando, Florida. In September, RAPID + TCT 2021 was held in
Chicago, Illinois. The conference hosted 265 exhibiting companies. In
November 2021, academic and industry experts went to Anaheim,
California, for the International Conference on AM (known as ICAM),
sponsored by the ASTM International AM Center of Excellence. In January
2022, the Women in 3D Printing TIPE 2022 conference was held virtually
with 2,350 participants.
Patents Thousands of AM-related U.S. patent applications are filed every year.
by Aidan Skoyles and The following graph and table show the growth of AM-related U.S.
Nicholas Eitsert patents issued each year since 1998 (blue). It also shows the number of
AM-related U.S. patent applications published since 2003 (green). Patent
applications are not made public at the time of filing but are usually
published 18 months later. Most of the patents and applications are for
utility patents covering technological advancements. However, a small
number are design patents, which protect the ornamental designs of
products and hardware.
Patent litigation Litigation in the AM space remains sparse but with some notable
exceptions, consistent with previous years.
America Makes was formed in 2012 and brings the AM industry together
as a member-driven community. Its mission is to accelerate the U.S.
adoption of AM and enhance manufacturing competitiveness by focusing
on AM technology, workforce development, and AM ecosystems. The
institute has sponsored more than 200 projects since its founding.
In 2021, members from across the country actively engaged in more than
60 projects. America Makes also expanded the Advanced Manufacturing
Crisis Preparedness Response program. Its purpose, accomplished through
a series of workshops, is to show how AM is a viable solution to the supply-
chain crises. The organization has also launched the rapid innovation and
open project call process to support broader member input into project
topics. This resulted in 15 projects and more than $2 million in project
funding.
Mobility Goes Additive The Mobility Goes Additive (MGA) network was founded in 2016. It
by Stefanie Brickwede currently has more than 140 members across the AM value chain. The
network’s focus is on users and suppliers from the mobility, aerospace,
railway, and automotive industries. In 2019, a separate medical division,
called MGA Medical, was set up within the network. It covers a wide
range of medical AM applications including anatomical models for
complex operations, orthoses and prostheses, and bioprinting.
MGA members help each other realize the full potential of AM technology
by sharing experiences on AM materials and processes. Members
participate jointly in more than a dozen working and focus groups with the
focus of overcoming challenges and solving problems that an organization
working alone could not achieve.
Other groups and In many countries, AM professionals have come to together to create
associations groups and associations. The goal of most of them is to promote the
development and adoption of AM.
Association name Country Website
Additive Manufacturing Association of India www.amsi.org.in
India
Additive Manufacturing Green Trade U.S. www.amgta.org
Association
Additive Manufacturing UK UK www.am-uk.org.uk
Additive & 3D Manufacturing Spain www.addimat.es
Technologies Association of Spain
Advanced Manufacturing Institute Israel www.advm.org.il
Alberta Additive Manufacturing Network Canada www.albertaamn.com
AM Technical Community U.S. www.sme.org/engage/communities/addi
tive-manufacturing-community
AMable Europe www.amable.eu
Association for Additive Manufacturing U.S. my.mpif.org/MPIF/Associations/AMAM
Associazione Italiana Tecnologie Italy www.aita3d.it
Additive
Canada Makes Canada www.canadamakes.ca
Collaborative Programme in Additive South Africa www.cpam.technology
Manufacturing (CPAM)
Dansk AM Hub Denmark www.am-hub.dk/en
Finnish Additive Manufacturing Finland www.fame3d.fi/about
Ecosystem
France Additive France www.franceadditive.tech
Hong Kong 3D Printing Association Hong Kong www.hk3dpa.org/en/hk3dpa
Japan 3D Printing Industrial Technology Japan www.3dprint.or.jp
Association
National Additive Manufacturing U.S. www.additivemfg.org
Association
RApid Prototyping and Innovative Slovenia www.rapiman.net
MAnufacturing Network
Continued on following page
SDOs in the U.S. that create AM standards include the American Society of
Mechanical Engineers (ASME), American Welding Society (AWS), and
Underwriter Laboratories (UL). Globally, they include the Association of
German Engineers (VDI), British Standards Institution (BSI), German
Institute for Standardization (DIN), Norwegian truth (DNV), and SAE
International. SDOs are expanding their AM efforts, which is good, but it
could lead to duplicate or conflicting standards, causing challenges for
the industry. The Additive Manufacturing Standardization Collaborative,
discussed in a following section, aims to coordinate standards
development across participating SDOs.
Standard Title
F2924-14 Standard specification for additive manufacturing titanium-6
aluminum-4 vanadium with powder bed fusion
F2971-13 Standard practice for reporting data for test specimens prepared by
additive manufacturing
F3001-14 Standard specification for additive manufacturing titanium-6
aluminum-4 vanadium ELI (extra low interstitial) with powder bed
fusion
F3049-14 Standard guide for characterizing properties of metal powders used
for additive manufacturing processes
F3055-14a Standard specification for additive manufacturing nickel alloy (UNS
N07718) with powder bed fusion
F3056-14e1 Standard specification for additive manufacturing nickel alloy (UNS
N06625) with powder bed fusion
F3091/F3091M-14 Standard specification for powder bed fusion of plastic materials
F3122-14 Standard guide for evaluating mechanical properties of metal
materials made via additive manufacturing processes
F3177-21 Additive manufacturing—General principles—Fundamentals and
vocabulary
Continued on following page
Standard Title
F3184-16 Standard specification for additive manufacturing stainless steel
alloy (UNS S31603) with powder bed fusion
F3187-16 Standard guide for directed energy deposition of metals
F3213-17 Standard for additive manufacturing—Finished part properties—
Standard specification for cobalt-28 chromium-6 molybdenum via
powder bed fusion
F3301-18a Standard for additive manufacturing—Post processing methods—
Standard specification for thermal post-processing metal parts made
via powder bed fusion
F3302-18 Standard for additive manufacturing—Finished part properties—
Standard specification for titanium alloys via powder bed fusion
F3318-18 Standard for additive manufacturing—Finished part properties—
Specification for AlSi10Mg with powder bed fusion—Laser beam
F3413-19 Guide for additive manufacturing—Design—Directed energy
deposition
F3434-21 Additive manufacturing—Qualification principles—Installation,
operation and performance (IQ/OQ/PQ) of powder bed fusion—
Laser beam equipment
F3439-21 Additive manufacturing—Finished part properties—Assessment of 3
orientation and location dependence of mechanical properties for
metal parts
F3466-21 Additive manufacturing of metals—Qualification principles—Part 2:
Qualification of machine operators for powder bed fusion—Laser
beam
F3500-21 Additive manufacturing of metals—Qualification principles—Part 1:
General qualification of machine operators
F3529-21 Additive Manufacturing—General Principles—Guide for design for
material extrusion processes
ISO/ASTM52900-15 Standard terminology for additive manufacturing—General
principles—Terminology (Process terms and definitions from this
standard have been fully adopted in the Wohlers Report.)
ISO/ASTM52915-16 Standard specification for additive manufacturing file format (AMF)
version 1.2
ISO/ASTM52901-16 Standard guide for additive manufacturing—General principles—
Requirements for purchased AM parts
ISO/ASTM52910-18 Additive manufacturing—Design—Requirements, guidelines and
recommendations
ISO/ASTM52902-19 Additive manufacturing—Test artifacts—Geometric capability
assessment of additive manufacturing systems
ISO/ASTM52907-19 Additive manufacturing—Feedstock materials—Methods to
characterize metallic powders
ISO/ASTM52904-19 Additive manufacturing—Process characteristics and performance—
Practice for metal powder bed fusion process to meet critical
applications
ISO/ASTM52921-13 Standard terminology for additive manufacturing—Coordinate
(2019) systems and test methodologies
ISO/ASTM52903-20 Additive manufacturing—Material extrusion-based additive
manufacturing of plastic materials—Part 1: Feedstock materials
ISO/ASTM52915-20 Specification for additive manufacturing file format (AMF) version 1.2
ISO/ASTM52942-20 Additive manufacturing—Qualification principles—Qualifying
machine operators of laser metal powder bed fusion machines and
equipment used in aerospace applications
ISO/ASTM52941-20 Additive manufacturing—System performance and reliability—
Acceptance tests for laser metal powder bed fusion machines for
metallic materials for aerospace application
Source: ASTM International
In January 2022, more than 60 work items were under development. They
are the first steps toward drafting new standards or revising existing ones.
Among them are specifications for finished part properties, determination
of particle and chemical emission, and control and qualification of laser-
based PBF. Feedstock specifications and a guide on designing for MEX
were also under development. In close collaboration with ISO/TC 261,
more than 25 additional work items are being addressed.
The F42 committee met virtually in February 2021. The annual meeting is
March 2022 at Colorado School of Mines, jointly with ISO/TC 261.
ISO/TC 261 ISO Technical Committee 261 on Additive Manufacturing (ISO/TC 261)
by Christian Seidel was established in 2011. It is an important committee for standards
development and representation is worldwide. The committee has a
unique partnership with the ASTM Committee F42 on Additive
Manufacturing Technologies. As of January 2022, 34 standards were
being developed.
The ISO/TC 261 committee includes seven approved working groups (WG)
and joint working groups (JWG).
ISO/TC 261 made excellent progress in 2021 and announced that more
standards had reached key development milestones than in any previous
year. In total, 15 documents were either published in 2021 or scheduled
for publication by the end of Q1 2022. The commitment of the working
group leaders, project leaders, and support staff was critical to success. All
documents were developed under the partnership agreement between ISO
and ASTM International. These standards are included in the ISO/ASTM
529XX-series, indicative of the high level of international consensus. The
new documents complement existing standards and cover topics including
qualification, non-destructive testing, data, design, finished part
properties, and test artifacts. A revised version of the AM terminology
standard (ISO/ASTM 52900) was published in 2021.
AM Standardization America Makes and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
established the Additive Manufacturing Standardization Collaborative
Collaborative
by Kevin Jurrens (AMSC) in 2016. Its aim is to coordinate and accelerate the development
of AM standards and specifications consistent with the needs of the AM
community.
In June 2018, the AMSC issued the second version of its Standardization
Roadmap for Additive Manufacturing. It was developed with contributions
from hundreds of subject matter experts from industry, government, and
academia. The roadmap identifies SDOs involved in AM and lists published
standards and activities in progress. It also identifies gaps that, if filled,
would help grow the AM industry.
The U.S. Army team at Rock Island Arsenal announced it is building one of
the world’s largest metal 3D printers. The team of vendors creating the
system is being led by ASTRO America. Subcontractors include Ingersoll
Machine Tools, MELD Manufacturing, and Siemens. This effort, called the
Jointless Hull project, hopes to deliver a metal AM system capable of
printing an entire military vehicle chassis. It will have a 9.1 x 6.1 x 3.7 m
(30 x 20 x 12 ft) build volume.
The U.S. Marine Corps published Marine Corps Order MCO 4700.4 on the
use and integration of AM. It provides policy and procedures on AM best
practices and part approval. The Marine Corps also awarded a contract to
Houston Genesis Dimensions to deliver a large 3D printer for construction
projects.
The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force continued investing in AM. The
focus to date has not been on end-use parts, mainly due to the intensive
quality assurance and testing requirements to secure flight-worthiness
certification. However, the Air Force has used AM to develop intricately
designed parts and systems for hypersonic vehicles. Topology optimization
(TO) and modeling of efficient computational fluid dynamic designs are an
important part.
OSD has published an AM strategy document, which sets clear goals and
focus areas for DOD. The document highlights the need for a secure and
robust digital infrastructure and industry standards for materials and 3D
printing systems.
U.S. government- Federal agencies in the U.S. actively support AM research. Funding for the
widest variety of research topics comes from the National Science
sponsored R&D Foundation (NSF). NSF funds academic institutions and corporations.
by John Obielodan Other major sources of funding for AM research include the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), DOD, Department of Energy (DOE), and
Department of Commerce (DOC). Some awards are made through the
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business
Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.
National Science This section describes several NSF-funded projects. All were awarded in
Foundation 2021. Since most NSF projects are two- or three-year awards, this
summary represents only the most recent NSF projects. The 2020 and
2021 editions of the Wohlers Report include summaries of previously
awarded NSF projects, most of which are still active.
The University of Utah and Georgia Tech Research Corp. received funding
to study physics-informed artificial intelligence (AI)-driven design and 3D
printing metal matrix composites. The project aims to use AI to discover
and optimize materials and manufacturing processes with a goal to reduce
deployment times and cost by 50%.
DOD, DOE, and DOC DOD actively supports R&D efforts in AM through several programs. They
include the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program, the
Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative Program, and the
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The Office of Naval
Research, Army Research Laboratory, and Air Force Research Laboratory
also fund basic and applied research related to AM. Details on DOD-
funded programs can be found at dod.gov.
The following are summaries of SBIR and STTR awards for 2021, funded
through the DOD and DOE.
Addiguru and EWI received a Phase I STTR award to develop and validate
an intelligent process monitoring system for metal PBF. It combines in-
situ monitoring with AI software to detect defects and provide feedback to
help correct flaws during the build process. The aim is to create a closed-
loop or self-healing system.
National Institutes NIH is one of the primary supporters of biomedical research in AM.
of Health Among the themes for NIH funding are biofabrication and the production
of orthopedic implants, coatings, and scaffold structures for tissue
engineering. The following are some of the projects awarded by NIH in
2021.
U.S. national The following three national laboratories are active in AM research and
development. R&D conducted at national laboratories is a mechanism for
laboratories stimulating technology developments and advancements in the U.S.
Oak Ridge National The Advanced Manufacturing Office of the U.S. DOE established the
Laboratory Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) at ORNL in 2012. The
by Kyle Saleeby and facility performs early-stage research with the goal of advancing
Thomas Feldhausen manufacturing technologies, including AM. More than 34,000 individuals
and 5,800 companies have visited the MDF, which has conducted 219
collaborative research projects.
The MDF research portfolio covers many topics including AM, machining
processes, composite materials, and concrete manufacturing. A new
polymer feedstock manufacturing chain has been established for
sustainable production and circular economy research. The MDF is
investigating the next generation of hybrid-manufacturing equipment. A
comprehensive metrology and materials characterization laboratory
supports cross-disciplinary research.
As a DOE user facility, the MDF engages in more than 30 industrial and
academic collaborations annually. This partnership arrangement supports
cooperative development of advanced manufacturing capabilities,
equipment, and processes, which directly impact the U.S. manufacturing
economy. Recent partnerships have resulted in the development of novel
manufacturing equipment, including the SkyBAAM cable-suspended
concrete printer and the MVP Reactive Additive Manufacturing system for
thermoset materials.
The MDF is a core partner and technical collaborator with many U.S.
advanced manufacturing institutions. They include America Makes, the
IACMI Composites Institute, and the Cybersecurity Manufacturing
Innovation Institute. In rapid response to the pandemic, MDF and the
ORNL Carbon Fiber Technology Facility provided tooling, molds, and
personal protective equipment (PPE).
The AML facility is in the Livermore Valley Open Campus (LVOC) outside of
LLNL’s main security perimeter. It expands across 1,300 m2 (14,000 ft2)
and features a reconfigurable wet chemistry lab and a dry instrument lab.
Locating the AML in the LVOC makes it easier to partner with industry and
academia, both for R&D and technology transfer. It is equipped with AM
systems developed in-house and commercial machines used for joint
projects.
In 2021, a team from LLNL developed a new functional application area for
AM and architected materials known as cellular fluidics. The 3D-printed
microscale porous cellular architectures were inspired by plants and the
way they absorb and distribute water and nutrients. The AM structures are
designed to act as passive fluid transport pathways, eliminating the need
for pumps. The new AM-enabled technology may be applied to fields
inducing biomedical technologies and chemical reactors.
Government- Research, innovation, and development in the European Union (EU) are
supported by public funding at various levels. Funding agencies include
sponsored R&D the European Commission, the 27 member states of the EU, and regional
in Europe bodies within these countries. The EU has approved a special economic
by Giorgio Magistrelli recovery package called NextGenerationEU in response to the COVID-19
crisis.
The EU has funded AM research projects since the late 1980s. More than
€400 million was awarded between 2007 and 2021. Some non-EU member
countries can participate in EU-funded R&D projects. They include
accession countries, candidate countries, potential candidates, members of
the European Free Trade Association, and European Neighborhood Policy
members.
Most EU projects have been funded through Horizon 2020, the European
framework program for research and innovation. The program allocated
more than €75 billion in project funding from 2014 to 2020. Horizon 2020
has been superseded by the Horizon Europe program, operating from
2021 to 2027, with funding of €95.5 billion.
Academic activities AM advancements are occurring at a rapid pace and have been
successfully applied in pharmaceuticals, food, and jewelry. The demand
and capabilities for healthcare devices and PPE during the pandemic highlighted AM
by Ismail Fidan capabilities and boosted R&D efforts. Researchers at many institutions of
higher education used AM to produce supplies for healthcare workers.
University research facilities delivered cutting-edge research and
innovative solutions.
Students benefit from the knowledge and use of AM, and those who are
skilled in AM have good job opportunities. In response to this trend,
universities and colleges are growing in several areas of AM. They include
maker spaces, workforce development initiatives, degree programs, and
innovation institutes.
Research innovations The pandemic caused global supply disruptions. AM provided relief by
offering a way to produce products rapidly. For example, the Additive
Manufacturing Institute of Science and Technology at the University of
Louisville produced 3,000 face shields daily for healthcare employees.
The Americas Arizona State University: In Fall 2021, a new school was launched in the
Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering called the School of Manufacturing
Systems and Networks. Contact: Dhruv Bhate, [email protected]
Columbia University, New York: Food printing with laser cooking; layered
assembly of voxels; multi-material PBF. Contact: Hod Lipson,
[email protected]
East Tennessee State University: AM lab with 15 MEX printers, two VPP
units for prototyping, and one plastic PBF printer for mold making, and
design optimization; expertise in 3D design, modeling, analysis, and
casting. Contact: David Zollinger, [email protected]
McGill University, Canada: Laser PBF and DED for microstructure tailoring
and non-weldable alloys; powder production and holistic characterization;
lattices, part consolidation, AM redesign screening, manufacturability
analysis. Contacts: Mathieu Brochu, [email protected] and Yaoyao
Zhao, [email protected]
Ohio State University: Installed 10th metal printer. Growth coincides with
establishment of a medical device printing program called M4 and growing
the AM team headcount by 200% in 2021. Contact: Ed Herderick,
[email protected] and Jacob Rindler, [email protected]
San Jose State University, California: EOS M 100 PBF is being used to
manufacture titanium hierarchical bone scaffolds and heat sinks. Contact:
Ozgur Keles, [email protected]
University of Alberta, Canada: Plasma transfer arc AM; wire-arc AM; hybrid
AM; rapid solidification; metal/ceramic matrix for AM; AM alloy
development; laser PBF; MEX; AM for the energy and mining sector.
Contact: Ahmed Qureshi, [email protected]
University of Toledo, Ohio: Metal PBF and BJT of low- and high-
temperature shape memory alloys; functional polymers for machine tools;
powder and part characterization, fatigue and composites. Contact:
Mohammad Elahinia, [email protected]
Europe, Middle Aalborg University, Denmark: A newly published book titled A guidebook
East, and Africa for the adoption of additive manufacturing in operations. Contact: Yang
Cheng, [email protected]
Machine Tool Institute in Elgoibar, Spain: AM area with five processes for
training, R&D projects with universities and technological centers, and
technology transfer to SMEs; bound metal deposition; laser cladding; PBF,
Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) from HP and MEX. Contact: Xabier Cearsolo,
[email protected]
University of Turku, Finland: Laser PBF; laser and arc DED; in-situ
detection of AM process signature; AI-enhanced simulation of AM; AM-
based novel industrial solutions; laser beam-metal interaction, digital twin.
Contact: Antti Salminen, [email protected]
Research institutes The following summaries are provided from 16 research institutes from
around the world. These summaries provide “snapshots” of current
with AM capabilities
research capabilities and accomplishments.
An increasing number of privately held companies seek funds for the next
phase of development by going public. An initial public offering (IPO) of 12
AM companies occurred in 2021, either by merging with a special-purpose
acquisition company (SPAC) or through a traditional IPO. Advantages and
disadvantages exist for both methods. The SPAC approach offers a faster
execution timeline to receive funding. This approach also provides funding
opportunities and access to finance and management tools from the
sponsoring company. More than half of the companies that went public in
2021 merged with SPACs. These IPOs suggest strong optimism from the
investment community.
The U.S. and international supply chain faced many challenges in 2021.
Overwhelmed ports, labor shortages, a shortage of shipping containers,
and the arrival of highly transmissible COVID-19 variants impacted the
movement of goods. According to Freightos, the price to ship a full-sized
shipping container from Asia to the U.S. west coast reached more than
$20,000 in September 2021. This is a tenfold increase from 2019. Delivery
times for ocean shipments from China to the U.S. increased to 80 days in
December 2021, up 85% from 2019.
Technical directions One major trend is the transition from applications-driven technology
development to new opportunities being created by technical
and trends
advancements. An ongoing trend is the shift toward involvement from the
consumer for part design, manufacturing, and disposal. New applications
for AM are particularly evident in several industries, including aerospace,
construction, energy, and biomedicine.
Ambitious goals are being set by government agencies and the private
sector on sustainability and responsible sourcing of materials. Desktop
Metal acquired Forust, a company offering end-use wood-like parts using a
binder jetting (BJT) process. Waste byproducts from wood manufacturing
(i.e., cellulose chips and sawdust) and the paper industry (i.e., lignin) are
used as feedstock. The design can include the appearance of realistic wood
grain. Parts can be sanded, stained, dyed, coated, and polished in a manner
similar to traditionally manufactured wood products. This could create a
wide range of new possibilities for furniture and other products.
A long-term goal of space travel is to print parts on-site. Many teams are
researching the potential of using AM to produce buildings, launch pads,
and other facilities on uninhabited planets. One possibility is to use local
raw materials as feedstock.
Shell is the first oil and gas company in Europe to obtain CE certification
from a third-party authority for an in-house AM part. The part is a
pressure vessel manufactured with PBF at the Energy Transition Campus
in Amsterdam. Shell worked with LRQA to certify the part in accordance
with the European Pressure Equipment Directive. This certification is an
important milestone for the oil and gas industry because no legislation or
global standards are available for 3D-printed pressure vessels.
Some materials, such as silver, copper, and gold, can be difficult to print
using laser PBF systems. These metals have high reflectivity in the near-
infrared spectrum range, but this can be circumvented by substituting
lasers that operate in the visible spectrum. Green lasers operate with a
reduced wavelength and can print parts with high electrical and thermal
conductivity.
Challenges ahead Many technical changes and advancements are underway. They are
coupled with a widening skills gap and an increasing number of technical
manufacturing jobs. Other issues are the retirement of the “baby boomer”
generation and the Great Resignation involving an estimated 33 million
Americans who quit their jobs, mostly in 2021. This has further increased
the number of high-tech positions and a need for people to fill them.
Insufficient training and education are major challenges and are expected
to become more severe in the short term. It is estimated that two million
manufacturing jobs will go unfilled in this decade in the U.S. alone. The job
market in AM is growing, but trained and experienced personnel are
needed to fill them. Technical schools, community colleges, and
universities are challenged to expand educational opportunities in AM.
More than ever, professional societies, associations, and standards
development organizations are faced with extending training and
certification programs.
3D-printed food 3D printing can produce designs that are difficult or impossible to
by Kjeld van Bommel manufacture using conventional processes. Food engineers are designing
new food products with detailed structures and unique textures. The
food can come with personalized nutrition and taste.
Material extrusion (MEX) is the most used process for the 3D printing of
food. Various pastes, doughs, purees, and other formulations common in
food preparation can be used as feedstock. Examples products include 3D-
printed pasta from BluRhapsody, chocolate from Callebaut, and
personalized nutraceutical candies from Nourished. Nutraceuticals are
foods that provide additional health benefits and have nutritional value. In
2021, Mondelēz launched 3D-printed chocolates in India under the brand
name Cadbury 3D.
Powder bed fusion (PBF) has been used within the Digital Food Processing
Initiative (DFPI), a collaboration between TNO, Eindhoven University of
Technology, and Wageningen University & Research. Both Currant 3D and
Brill 3D Culinary Studio use BJT machines to create sugar-based foods.
3D-printed food is currently used to create niche products that are mostly
sold online. Scaling this technology and creating cost-competitive products
remains a challenge. This is a focus of DFPI, which demonstrated a
patented extrusion-based multi-nozzle printer in 2021. The collaboration
claims its modular architecture could open opportunities for large-scale
production of 3D-printed food products.
3D-printed medicine AM supports the printing of tablets with specific drug loads and detailed
by Anton Aulbers internal structures. Delivery systems with sophisticated characteristics
can help to precisely program how a medication is released. 3D-printed
medicine shows promise in developing new treatments and providing
solutions to unmet clinical needs.
The most widely researched AM processes are MEX and BJT, but PBF is
also attracting interest. University College London and its spinoff, FabRx,
have been active in this field. In 2020, the M3DIMAKER for personalized
medicine was released. TNO has partnered with several medical centers to
demonstrate personalized 3D-printed medication for children in a clinical
setting.
For scanning larger objects, such as aircraft, ships, wind turbines, and
buildings, a fast-growing category of scanning technology has emerged,
known as spherical scanners. These instruments have transformed the
traditional surveying industry. Surveyors and engineers are rapidly
adopting these tripod-mounted, area-scanning instruments. Their
benefits include relative ease of use, improved scanning accuracy and
density, and speed advantages, compared to conventional line-of-sight
optical instruments. They are generally considered “long-range” light
detection and ranging (LIDAR) scanners capable of gathering data in the
range of hundreds of meters. They can be set up quickly and capture
entire factories, crime scenes, movie sets, and many other large-scale
targets. Most can capture color as well as geometric data.
Processing 3D scan data 3D scanning systems typically capture large quantities of 3D coordinates
known as point clouds. Depending on the scanner and the nature of the
project, the result of scanning is often many points of data, with the
possibility of extremely large files. The size of point-cloud files from 3D
scanners has grown almost exponentially over the years. Transforming
these point clouds into usable formats for downstream applications can
be challenging and time consuming. Many projects require highly
specialized software, significant computing power, and operator skill that
can take years to develop.
Scanning tools, such as CMM arms and laser trackers that use a touch
probe, capture significantly less data than laser, structured-light, and CT
scanning methods. The 3D data points from these 3D digitizing tools are
often transformed into geometric features by onboard software in real
time. Frequently, this software function is integrated directly with the
physical measurement operation. Several software products have been
developed to support nearly every brand and type of 3D measuring
instrument, resulting in an integrated platform. This provides a common
environment and gives employees of large enterprises the opportunity to
learn and use a single software product and workflow.
Trends and opportunities Industrial and professional applications are demanding and represent
the majority of the 3D scanning market. The consumer and prosumer
segments are gaining attention because of their potential to become
sizable markets. Business models continue to be developed that leverage
product customization through AM and low-cost 3D printing. Many of
these new business models are focused on producing custom products
that fit the human body. Mass-market personalization of products,
unlocked by 3D scanning, includes shoe orthotics, eyewear, clothing, and
other wearables.
Another driver for reality capture is the growing interest in AR and VR.
Demand is rapidly growing for the creation of digital twins of physical
objects, resulting in transformation of objects into quality 3D visualization
models. Restrictions caused by the pandemic are driving a demand for
online virtual tours of museums, historic venues, and even factory floors.
3D scanners are being deployed with increasing frequency at accident
scenes, construction projects, classrooms, libraries, social events, and
courtrooms.
Scanners are found increasingly in maker spaces, art events, exercise gyms,
and shopping malls. They are even at social events in the form of 3D photo
booths and other 3D interactive entertainment exhibits. Several startups
have launched full-body scanning booths for apparel and to make full-body
figurines. Market-defining “killer apps” are emerging that combine 3D
scanning and 3D printing. Given the personalization these technologies
support, human body-centric businesses are likely to become more
successful in the future.
This data points to a challenging time ahead for companies looking to hire.
An unprecedented “war for talent” will result from significant workforce
turnover, limited new talent entering the market, and rapidly accelerating
demand. Salaries are expected to continue to rise as companies attempt to
retain their existing employees and attract new talent.
Source: AM Ventures
Certain regions are fertile breeding grounds for young companies. In the
U.S., Boston, Massachusetts, Austin, Texas, and Silicon Valley, California
have a strong focus on hardware and software. In Europe, the metropolitan
areas of Munich, Germany, Vienna, Austria, and Zurich, Switzerland are the
three top regions. Each specializes in its own area of technology. Within
Asia/Pacific countries, Singapore and Seoul, South Korea are identified as
highly innovative regions. All eight regions have the following four main
success factors in common:
Source: AM Ventures
Source: AM Ventures
Startups and early- Startup companies and early-stage investments are a dynamic part of the
developing AM ecosystem. The following table records 99 investment
stage investments transactions involving startup and developing technology companies
related to AM. Financing received in connection with special-purpose
acquisition company (SPAC) mergers are listed in a separate table, as are
acquisitions and IPOs. This table does not include investments made
“under the radar” in which startups and investors do not disclose the
transactions. The figures in the “Amount” column are millions of dollars.
Sources of funding for companies in the table are public and private
investment companies (e.g., venture capital firms, government investment
agencies, and individuals). Funding also comes from corporations
acquiring or taking a position in a startup company, either directly or
through a corporate venture arm established for making early-stage
investments.
Acquisitions and 2021 saw a significant number of acquisitions, initial public offerings
public offerings (IPOs), and secondary offerings among startup companies. Companies that
receive early-stage, high-risk investments typically exit through an
acquisition or public offering. Acquisitions and IPOs provide a record of
startup companies at the end of their life cycle and are a source of investor
returns on their investments. They typically occur long after a company is
founded because it can take years to develop commercial products and
services.
The following table lists 13 IPOs and secondary public financings of startup
companies. Also included in the table are companies that began trading on
public markets through mergers with SPACs. These transactions are
technically not IPOs, but they have the effect of an IPO because they result
in shares of a private, startup company being publicly traded for the first
time. The figures in the “Amount” column are millions of dollars.
Five companies in the previous table were listed on public exchanges for
the first time through IPOs. Five companies began trading through SPAC
mergers. The Shapeways’ SPAC merger was excluded because the company
was founded in 2007 and is not considered a startup. The merger is
covered in Part 3 of this report.
IPOs, SPACs, and related PIPE investments and secondary public offerings
brought in a total of $2.35 billion in funds to AM industry startups. Public
financing options are more popular in some markets, especially for young
companies. For this reason, our listing of IPOs and secondary offerings
show transactions in a limited number of countries.
New AM companies New AM companies are developing novel approaches that seek to solve
old and new problems. These companies are working to develop systems,
software, materials, and services for AM. This section includes a list of
110 companies focused on developing systems, materials, and software
that will play a role in shaping the future of the AM industry.
Grid Logic is developing a metal MEX process that selectively deposits off-
the-shelf commercial metal powder and foundry sand support material.
Parts are printed and then sintered in a post-processing step. No binder is
required, and the foundry sand can be reused. Multiple metals may be
deposited in the same build. The following image is a 200-mm (7.9-in)
diameter prototype axial flux induction rotor. The part is made in copper
and a proprietary soft magnetic composite iron powder. The company is
prototyping each part of an axial flux motor with the goal of printing the
entire motor in one build.
Market forecast The AM industry is recovering from the impact of the pandemic. Some
growth in 2021 can be attributed to pent-up demand from 2020. As
and opportunity restrictions were lifted, companies resumed investment in R&D and are
expanding their capabilities.
Industry standards are playing a key role and will become even more
important as AM expands and matures. Standards development
organizations, including ASTM International, are working to create
standards and guidelines in many areas. Among them are materials,
processes, testing, design, data, applications, terminology, environment,
health, and safety. Standards have greatly benefited diverse industries over
the past 100+ years. The development and adoption of standards for AM
will have a similar impact and will help advance the technology to new
levels.
It took the AM industry 20 years to reach $1 billion in size. Five years later,
the industry generated its second $1 billion. Over the past 10 years (2012–
2021), the industry grew by $13.5 billion. At $15.244 billion in 2021, AM is
expected to nearly double in size to $29.8 billion by 2025. Wohlers
Associates forecasts it will expand by 5.6 times to $85.3 billion by 2031.
According to the World Bank, the global economy was about $89.4 trillion
in 2021. A study by it, with data from the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development, estimates manufacturing accounts for
about 15.9% of the global economy. Manufacturing is estimated to be $14.2
trillion in 2021, so the AM industry represents only about 0.1% of all
manufacturing worldwide. Wohlers Associates believes that AM will one
day exceed 5% of the manufacturing economy and grow to more than $710
billion.
Report summary The AM industry has grown from a small community to a global movement
of innovators, entrepreneurs, and professionals. From small businesses to
large corporations in most industrial sectors, many are asking what AM
can do for them. The use of AM has developed from a few applications
related to modeling and prototyping to a far-reaching technology of critical
importance. Governments around the world see the adoption of AM as a
strategic benefit on multiple levels.
The continued impact of the pandemic on the global supply chain and
economy provides opportunities for new ways of solving problems and
doing business. The pandemic has brought to light the strengths of the
technology. They include consolidating assemblies into fewer parts,
improved product performance, and supply-chain simplification. Countless
individuals are creating new designs that were unthinkable years ago.
With all the progress, AM continues to face obstacles. They range from
material characterization and qualification to improving efficiency and
quality inspection. Over the past several years, the industry has shifted
much of its fundamental research to applied R&D. Other areas of interest
are improving speed, repeatability, automation, and supporting a greater
number of materials and applications.
The following are the abbreviations for the AM processes discussed in this
section.
Asia/Pacific Many companies in the Asia/Pacific region develop and sell industrial AM
systems. Japan was a pioneer in the development of AM in the 1980s.
China has risen as a prominent producer of systems in recent years.
Manufacturers of AM systems and their products are profiled on the
following pages.
Aspect Aspect has produced and sold polymer PBF systems for 2.5 decades. The
company is also a veteran service provider.
Aspect, Inc.
Tokyo, Japan
First AM system sale: 2006
www.aspect.jpn.com
Bright Laser Bright Laser Technologies, also referred to as BLT, grew out of research
Technologies conducted at Northwestern Polytechnical University in China. The
company produces metal PBF and DED systems.
Eplus3D Eplus3D produces metal and polymer PBF and VPP systems for industrial
production applications.
Farsoon Technologies
Hunan, China
First AM system sale: 2012
www.farsoon.com
XYZprinting XYZprinting, a subsidiary of the New Kinpo Group, offers industrial and
desktop polymer AM systems.
XYZprinting, Inc.
New Taipei City, Taiwan
First industrial AM system sale: 2017
www.xyzprinting.com
ARBURGadditive GmbH + Co KG
Lossburg, Germany
First AM system sale: 2014
www.arburg.com
BigRep BigRep produces large-format MEX machines and partners with material
suppliers.
BigRep GmbH
Berlin, Germany
First AM system sale: 2014
www.bigrep.com
DED (hybrid)
LASERTEC 65 735 x 650 x 560 stainless steel, duplex steels, –
DED Hybrid (28.9 x 25.6 x 22) tool steels, high-speed steels,
nickel alloys, copper alloys,
cobalt alloys
LASERTEC 125 1,336 x 1,250 x 750 same as above –
DED Hybrid (52.6 x 49.2 x 35.4)
LASERTEC 3000 670 dia. x 932 same as above –
DED Hybrid (26.4 dia. x 36.7)
400 dia. x 1,321 same as above –
(15.7 dia. x 52)
LASERTEC 4300 660 dia. x 660 same as above –
3D Hybrid (26 dia. x 26)
546 dia. x 1,500 same as above –
(21.5 dia. x 59.1)
EOS EOS is a privately owned manufacturer of PBF systems and materials and
offers related consulting services.
EOS GmbH
Krailling, Germany
First AM system sale: 1990
www.eos.info
PBF (metal)
EOS M 100 100 dia. x 95 cobalt-chrome, stainless steel, €200
(3.9 dia. x 3.7) titanium, tungsten
EOS M 290 250 x 250 x 325 cobalt-chrome, titanium, €480
(9.8 x 9.8 x 12.8) stainless steel, maraging steel,
tool steel, nickel alloy,
aluminum, copper
EOS M 300-4 300 x 300 x 400 maraging steel, nickel alloy, €1,000
(11.8 x 11.8 x 15.8) titanium, stainless steel,
aluminum
EOS M 400 400 x 400 x 400 aluminum, titanium, maraging €1,250
(15.8 x 15.8 x 15.8) steel, nickel alloy, copper
EOS M 400-4 400 x 400 x 400 aluminum, stainless and €1,420
(15.8 x 15.8 x 15.8) maraging steels, titanium, nickel
alloy
SLM Solutions SLM Solutions is a publicly traded manufacturer of metal PBF machines.
Trumpf Trumpf has manufactured optical systems since 1923 and offers metal PBF
and DED systems.
TruLaser Cell 3000 800 x 600 x 400 tool steels, stainless steel, –
(31 x 23.6 x 16) carbides and matrices,
aluminum alloys, titanium alloys,
nickel alloys, copper alloys
TruLaser Cell 7040 4,000 x 1,500 x 750 same as above –
(157 x 59 x 30)
4,000 x 2,000 x 750 same as above –
(157 x 79 x 30)
DepositionLine integration into same as above –
technology package customer CNC
machine or robot
Voxeljet Voxeljet manufactures large industrial BJT systems for investment casting
patterns and sand-casting molds and cores, as well as PBF systems for
functional prototypes.
Voxeljet AG
Friedberg, Germany
First AM system sale: 2002 (under Generis)
www.voxeljet.com
Other companies in Many companies in Europe and the Middle East manufacture industrial
AM systems.
Europe and the
Middle East
Additive Industries Additive Industries produces modular metal AM systems that can
automate up to eight builds without operator intervention.
AddUp AddUp, a joint venture between Michelin and Fives, produces metal PBF
machines and support equipment. AddUp acquired BeAM in 2018.
AddUp
Cébazat, France
First AM system sale: 2017
www.addupsolutions.com
Admatec Admatec produces VPP machines, furnaces, and resins for producing
ceramic and metal parts.
Admatec BV
Alkmaar, Netherlands
First AM system sale: 2016
www.admateceurope.com
BeAM BeAM, acquired by AddUp in 2018, produces DED systems that the
company calls laser metal deposition.
BeAM S.A.S.
Strasbourg, France
First AM system sale: 2009
www.beam-machines.com
Digital Metal As a unit of Höganäs, Digital Metal produces a BJT system for printing
small, complex metal parts.
Digital Metal
Höganäs, Sweden
First AM system sale: 2016
www.digitalmetal.tech
DWS DWS manufactures VPP systems for the jewelry, dental, and general
engineering segments.
DWS srl
Thiene, Italy
First AM system sale: 2005
www.dwssystems.com
Lithoz Lithoz produces VPP systems and materials for engineering and
bioresorbable ceramics.
Lithoz GmbH
Vienna, Austria
First AM system sale: 2011
www.lithoz.com
Prodways Technologies
Les Mureaux, France
First AM system sale: 2010
www.prodways.com
Renishaw plc
New Mills, England
First AM system sale: 2011
www.renishaw.com
Microturbine recuperator,
courtesy of Renishaw
Sisma S.p.A.
Vicenza, Italy
First AM system sale: 2014
www.sisma.com
Jewelry application,
courtesy of Sisma
Stratasys Industry pioneer Stratasys, which merged with Objet in 2012, produces
MEX, MJT, PBF, and VPP systems. In December 2020, Stratasys acquired
Origin, a manufacturer of VPP systems.
Stratasys
Rehovot, Israel
First AM system sale: 1991
www.stratasys.com
XJet Ltd.
Rehovot, Israel
First AM system sale: 2019
www.xjet3d.com
3D Systems, Inc.
Rock Hill, South Carolina
First AM system sale: 1988
www.3dsystems.com
ProJet MJP 3600W 298 x 185 x 203 wax, melt-away support $85
(11.8 x 7.3 x 8 ) material
ProJet MJP 3600W 298 x 185 x 203 same as above $98
Max (11.8 x 7.3 x 8)
ProJet MJP 5600 518 x 381 x 300 photopolymer, melt-away $198
(20.4 x 15 x 11.8) support material
PBF (polymer)
sPro 140 550 x 550 x 460 PA, reinforced plastics $429
(22 x 22 x 18)
sPro 230 550 x 550 x 750 same as above $508
(22 x 22 x 30)
SLS 380 381 x 330 x 460 polyamides, reinforced $240
(15 x 13 x 18) plastics, fire-retardant,
elastomers, polystyrene
PBF (metal)
DMP Flex 100 100 x 100 x 90 cobalt-chrome, stainless steel $199
(3.9 x 3.9 x 3.5)
DMP Dental 100 100 x 100 x 90 cobalt-chrome $199
(3.9 x 3.9 x 3.5)
DMP Flex 200 140 x 140 x 115 cobalt-chrome, titanium $265
(5.5 x 5.5 x 4.5)
DMP Flex 350 275 x 275 x 420 cobalt-chrome, stainless steel, $592
(10.8 x 10.8 x 16.5) maraging steel, aluminum,
titanium, nickel alloy
DMP Factory 350 275 x 275 x 420 stainless steel, maraging $692
(10.8 x 10.8 x 16.5) steel, aluminum, titanium,
nickel alloy
DMP Flex 350 Dual 275 x 275 x 420 titanium, aluminum alloys $700
(10.8 x 10.8 x 16.5)
DMP Factory 350 275 x 275 x 420 same as above $799
Dual (10.8 x 10.8 x 16.5)
DMP Factory 500 500 x 500 x 500 titanium, aluminum, nickel per
(19.7 x 19.7 x 19.7) alloy module
BJT
ProJet CJP 660Pro 254 x 381 x 203 composite (full CMYK colors) $69
(10 x 15 x 8)
ProJet CJP 860Pro 508 x 381 x 229 same as above $114
(20 x 15 x 9)
Carbon Carbon produces VPP systems for prototyping and series production. The
company leases its systems rather than selling them to customers.
Carbon, Inc.
Redwood City, California
First AM system sale: 2017
www.carbon3d.com
Cincinnati Cincinnati produces large MEX systems for concrete formwork, foundry
patterns, functional prototypes, and other applications.
Cincinnati Incorporated
Harrison, Ohio
First AM system sale: 2017
www.e-ci.com
Desktop Metal Desktop Metal produces MEX and BJT systems for producing metal and
composite parts. It acquired Envisiontec, now called ETEC, in February
2021. It spun off and integrated ETEC’s healthcare-focused systems into
Desktop Health. Desktop Metal acquired ExOne in November 2021.
Essentium, Inc.
Pflugerville, Texas
www.essentium.com
ETEC ETEC, previously Envisiontec, was the first company to commercialize DLP
bottom-projection VPP. ETEC was acquired by Desktop Metal in February
2021 and is operating as a wholly owned subsidiary. In 2021, Desktop
Health was created by Desktop Metal. The Desktop Health-branded
systems are noted with an asterisk (*) in the following table.
ETEC
Dearborn, Michigan
First AM system sale: 2002
www.envisiontec.com
ExOne ExOne manufactures BJT systems for producing parts in sand, ceramic,
composite, and metal. The company was acquired by Desktop Metal in
November 2021.
ExOne
North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
First AM system sale: 2001
www.exone.com
Formlabs, Inc.
Somerville, Massachusetts
First AM system sale: 2013
www.formlabs.com
GE Additive GE Additive, which acquired Arcam and Concept Laser in 2016, develops
and sells metal AM systems based on PBF.
HP HP offers its Multi Jet Fusion technology as a platform for prototyping and
series production applications.
HP Inc.
Palo Alto, California
First AM system sale: 2016
www.hp.com
Markforged Markforged sells MEX systems for producing composite and metal parts.
Markforged, Inc.
Watertown, Massachusetts
First AM system sale: 2014
www.markforged.com
Optomec Optomec offers aerosol jetting and laser engineered net shaping (LENS), a
DED process. LENS systems can be in a closed atmosphere (CA) or open
atmosphere (OA) with hybrid capabilities.
Optomec, Inc.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
First AM system sale: 1998
www.optomec.com
Manufacturer, The following table shows the AM process and material families employed
by industrial system manufacturers listed previously. The companies are
process, and presented alphabetically.
material matrix
The abbreviations for the material families are:
T = thermoplastic C = ceramic
P = photopolymer S = sand
M = metal B = biomaterials
X = composite Z = other
Additional system The following table lists 299 system manufacturers from around the world.
These companies are in addition to those presented on the previous pages.
manufacturers As of March 2021, most were selling AM systems. Wohlers Associates
constantly monitors new system developments in the market and covers
them in detail as they gain traction commercially.
AM Process Materials
MEX = material extrusion T = thermoplastic
MJT = material jetting P = photopolymer
BJT = binder jetting M = metal
SHL = sheet lamination X = composite
VPP = vat photopolymerization C = ceramic
PBF = powder bed fusion S = sand
DED = directed energy deposition B = biomaterials
Z = other
Appendices
Appendix A: The following are key terms and abbreviations used in this report. Most
of the terms in this appendix and report conform to the ISO/ASTM 52900
Glossary of terms terminology standard.
AM Additive manufacturing.
direct metal laser sintering A trade name used by EOS for the company’s
metal powder bed fusion technology.
LS Laser sintering.
near net shape* Condition where the parts require little post-
processing to meet dimensional tolerance.
selective laser melting A generic name for metal powder bed fusion.
Appendix B: The following table shows the number of industrial machines sold from
the inception of AM through 2006. The years 2007–2021 are found in
1988–2006 unit sales Part 3 of this report. Most of the numbers in this table were generously
provided by the system manufacturers. The table includes all industrial
AM systems (those that sell for $5,000 or more). Some of the Japanese
figures are estimates of systems sold from April through March, which is
the fiscal year of most Japanese companies.
88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06
United States
Stratasys, Inc. - - - 6 9 22 55 121 257 260 262 293 297 277 463 691 1,0501 1,2271 1,7231
3D Systems 32 94 105 44 58 60 94 1302 1752 2782 2242 303 387 415 2973 2024 4284 3704 2384
Z Corp. - - - - - - - - 1 7 48 105 170 188 210 349 461 687 777
Solidscape - - - - - - 22 41 65 152 110 129 127 103 140 128 170 297 339
DTM - - - - 9 19 23 36 51 42 65 73 77 395 - - - - -
Helisys - - - - 5 19 57 70 63 73 50 36 4 - - - - - -
ExOne - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 10 21 29 40 52
Optomec10 - - - - - - - - - - 3 4 5 1 2 3 11 17 18
Schroff - - - - - - - - 20 64 44 31 8 5 - - - - -
Sanders Design Int. - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9 15 20 8 - -
POM - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 3 3 2
Solidica - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 0 1 3 4 0
Asiga - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cubic Technologies - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 2 2 2 2 2
Fabrisonic - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sciaky - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Markforged - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
RPM Innovations - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rise - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cosine Additive - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Solick - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
HP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Titan Robotics - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Viridis3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Vader Systems - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Canada
Accufusion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Brazil
Alkimat - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Japan6
CMET7 - - - - 1 1 8 10 18 15 13 12 13 30 28 30 30 30 30
D-MEC - 2 4 10 7 3 3 3 10 20 23 21 22 27 36 29 35 24 154
Autostrade - - - - - - - - - - 16 37 36 26 29 29 31 25 20
Kira - - - - - - 5 22 12 20 18 24 23 13 11 16 12 15 174
Denken - - - - - 3 14 18 14 21 17 9 11 10 14 24 6 13 114
NTT Data CMET7 2 8 4 14 7 10 9 18 20 22 24 24 24 - - - - - -
Meiko - - - - - - 6 7 4 1 7 16 21 20 14 21 11 8 74
Unirapid Inc. - - - - - - - 4 4 1 4 4 6 7 7 7 10 7 8
Chubunippon - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 5 15 24
Aspect - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6
Roland DG - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Keyence - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Matsuura - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
China
Tiertime - - - - - - - - 4 0 6 6 12 18 15 28 30 31 54
Shaanxi Hengtong - - - - - - - - - 3 4 4 5 6 8 12 28 33 40
Wuhan Binhu - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 18 26 20 12 10
Huake 3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
EPlus 3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Longyuan - - - - - - - - 1 0 2 4 5 8 12 10 11 9 9
4 4
UnionTech - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 7 11 13 11 14
Farsoon - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
TPM - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Xery - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Bright Laser Tech. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Korea
Carima - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Menix - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9 1 2 3 24
88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06
Korea (continued)
InssTek - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rokit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sentrol - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Singapore
Kinergy - - - - - - - 2 2 4 4 3 12 6 9 74 - - -
Structo - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Austria
Lithoz - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Denmark
Blueprinter - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
England
MTT Technologies - - - - - - 2 1 1 3 2 1 3 3 2 2 5 4 7
Renishaw - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
France
4
Phenix Systems - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 3 7 8
BeAM - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Prodways - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3DCeram Sinto - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Germany
4
Envisiontec - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 39 137 249 246
EOS8 - - 1 2 9 8 14 39 52 55 39 42 51 52 57 55 54 59 67
Concept Laser - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 6 5 11 11
Trumpf - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7 3 7
Voxeljet - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 3
Sintermask - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2
ReaLizer - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SLM Solutions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rapid Shape - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Innovation MediTech - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Nanoscribe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
BigRep - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Arburg - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
DMG Mori - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
German RepRap - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Apium - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hungary
DO3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ireland
Mcor Technologies - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Italy
DWS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 37 47
Sisma - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sharebot - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Netherlands
Additive Industries - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Poland
Sinterit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sweden
Arcam - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 1 4 5 6 15
Höganäs - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
South Africa
Fouche 3D Printing - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Israel
Stratasys Ltd. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Objet - - - - - - - - - - - - - 21 46 94 164 235 316
Massivit 3D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Nano Dimension - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
4 4
Solido - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 65 31 264
Cubital - - - 5 6 7 5 3 3 2 2 0 0 - - - - - -
Other9 - - - 1 - 5 3 - 15 - 1 3 - 1 1 - - - -
Year Total 34 104 114 82 111 157 320 525 792 1,043 988 1,184 1,319 1,301 1,470 1,871 2,854 3,526 4,151
Cumulative Total 138 252 334 445 602 922 1,447 2,239 3,282 4,270 5,454 6,773 8,074 9,544 11,415 14,269 17,795 21,946
7 In early 2001, Teijin Seiki acquired NTT Data CMET and renamed the merged company CMET Inc. The 30 units reported by CMET for 2001 include the
units sold by both companies in 2001 before the merger.
8 1990–1996 figures include both stereolithography and LS machines. In an agreement with 3D Systems, EOS discontinued its Stereos stereolithography
systems in 1997.
9 Includes unit sales from BPM Technology, Generis, Mitsui, Röders, Soligen, and others. These companies have not manufactured or sold AM systems in
many years.
10 Includes both LENS and aerosol jet systems.
Atomic Diffusion
Additive
Technology 3D Metal Printing Additive Binder Jetting Binder Jetting
Micromanufacturing
Manufacturing
Density range of
>99% >99% ≥96% >96% 97%
finished part
Material properties of equal or better than similar to cold drawn comparable to cast comparable to cast comparable to cast
finished part cast parts copper and MIM parts and MIM parts and MIM parts
<0.5
Detail capability ±0.00025 0.05–0.20 0.035 0.03
(0.02)
as small as X mm (in) (0.0000098) (0.0019–0.0079) (0.00138) (0.0012)
with milling
Accuracy <0.1
from CAD to part or (0.004) n/a n/a n/a ±1%
tool insert mm (in) with milling
203 x 180 x 69
Maximum part size 3 m³ 1 235 x 68.3 x 80 (8.0 x 7.1 x 2.7) 600 x 410 x 330
mm (in) (183,070 in³) (0.04) (9.25 x 2.69 x 3.19) typically small part (26 x 16.4 x 13)
production
minimum feature size: 100
compare material
Geometric compare binder jetting and µm, minimum wall
n/a n/a extrusion and MIM/sinter
limitations MIM/sinter guidelines thickness: 100 µm, similar
guidelines
design guidelines to MIM
Continued on following page
Company Desktop Metal Headmade Materials Impact Innovations Admatec DM3D Technology, LLC
website www.desktopmetal.com www.headmade-materials.de www.impact-innovations.com www.admateceurope.com www.dm3dtech.com
Company process Bound Metal Deposition Direct Metal Deposition
Cold Metal Fusion Cold Spray Digital Light Processing
name (BMD) (DMD)
ISO/ASTM process material extrusion powder bed fusion cold spray vat photopolymerization directed energy deposition
aluminum, Inconel,
stainless steel 316L
17-4PH, AlSI 4140d, stainless steel, CoCr, copper, steel, titanium,
Available metals H13, 316L titanium, tungsten precious metals,
and 17-4 PH, n/a
Inconel 625, copper,
refractory metals,
Composition of
100% of metal/alloy used n/a 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used
finished part
Density range of
98% >98% n/a 96–99% n/a
finished part
Accuracy
±0.1
from CAD to part or n/a
(0.004)
n/a n/a n/a
tool insert mm (in)
Multi-material
yes no yes no yes
capability
Maximum part size 240 x 150 x 155 dependent on 260 x 220 x 500 673 x 673 x 474
n/a
mm (in) (9.4 x 6.0 x 6.1) machine used (10.2 x 8.7 x 19.7) (26.5 x 26.5 x 18.7)
compare material
Geometric shrinkage and overhangs overhangs and thin walls
extrusion and MIM/sinter n/a n/a
limitations depending on sintering without machining
guidelines
Composition of
100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used
finished part
Multi-material
yes no no no yes
capability
Maximum part size 800 x 400 x 500 400 x 400 x 360 275 x 275 x 380 510 x 510 x 490 800 x 1,000 x 650
mm (in) (31.5 x 15.7 x 19.7) (15.8 x 15.8 x 14.7) (10.82 x 10.82 x 14.96) (20.1 x 20.8 x19.3) (31.5 x 39.4 x 25.6)
Raw material form metal powder metal powder metal powder metal wire metal powder
stainless steels, tool
nickel alloys, steel alloys,
steels, titanium and titanium alloys, Inconel,
titanium alloys, copper
titanium alloys, nickel tantalum, tungsten, steel,
Available metals alloys, tungsten carbides,
alloys, cobalt alloys, titanium and nickel alloys
aluminum, nickel-
n/a
aluminum alloys,
copper alloys, based alloys
composites, custom alloys
cobalt alloys
Composition of
100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used
finished part
Density range of
up to 99.9% >99% 100% >99% >99.9%
finished part
equal or better than
Material properties of comparable to equivalent equal or better than equal or better than cast comparable to equivalent properties of cast parts,
finished part cast or wrought parts cast parts parts cast or wrought parts comparable to properties
of wrought parts
as low as 10 (394);
Surface finish for 316L: 6
dependent on material n/a n/a n/a
Ra µm (µin) (236)
and process variables
Geometric
n/a n/a n/a no internal structures n/a
limitations
Electron Beam Electron Beam Electron Beam Electron Beam Electron Beam
Technology
Melting Melting Metal 3D Powder Bed Fusion Selective Melting
Raw material form metal powder metal powder metal powder metal powder metal powder
titanium alloys, CoCr
titanium alloys,
alloys, tantalum alloy,
Available metals CoCr alloys, nickel alloys, n/a n/a n/a
superalloys, copper alloy,
TiAl, copper alloys
refractory metals, TiAl
Composition of
100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used not specified 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used
finished part
Density range of
100% 100% n/a >99.9% >99.9%
finished part
equal or better than equal or better than equal or better than equal or better than
Material properties of properties of cast parts, properties of cast parts, properties of cast parts, properties of cast parts,
n/a
finished part comparable to properties comparable to properties comparable to properties comparable to properties
of wrought parts of wrought parts of wrought parts of wrought parts
Accuracy
±0.2 ±0.2 ±0.2
from CAD to part or (0.008)
n/a n/a
(0.008) (0.008)
tool insert mm (in)
Multi-material
no no no no no
capability
Maximum part size 350 dia. x 380 200 x 200 x 200 250 x 250 x 300 100 dia. x 100 350 x 350 x 400
mm (in) (13.8 dia. x 15) (7.8 x 7.8 x 7.8) (9.8 x 9.8 x 11.8) (3.9 dia. x 3.9) (13.8 x 13.8 x 15.7)
machines, equipment, machines, equipment, machine, materials, machines, equipment, machines, equipment,
Offerings software, and services software, and materials and software materials, and services software, and services
aviation, aerospace, aerospace, tooling,
spare parts mold and die market, automotive, dental, energy, plant equipment,
Target markets industry, prototyping direct metal parts
aerospace and energy
research, medical, vacuum technology, and
tool making mold making
Key process time 15–30 hours for debind ~2 hours, depending on
for 125 mm (5 in) and thermal n/a 1 hour n/a material and required
cube processing of metal properties
create supports, slice create supports, slice create supports, slice import CAD model in off-
data preparation, printing, CAD-data, PBF process, STL- or CAD-data, PBF CAD-data, PBF process, line programming system,
Process steps
debind, sintering, milling process, remove process, remove support milling process, remove code generation,
(CAD to part) post-processing support structure, post- structure, post-processing support structure, post- deposition process,
processing as desired as desired processing as desired post-processing
extrudable filament
Raw material form metal powder in polymer metal powder powder metal powder metal powder
and wax matrix
titanium, aluminum, high-
Inconel, aluminum, nickel steel alloys, nickel-based
temperature alloys,
Available metals 17-4PH, 316L n/a alloys, Hastelloy C22,
stainless steel, high-
alloys, cobalt alloys,
Scalmalloy, titanium titanium alloys
strength steel, die steel
Composition of
100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used
finished part
Density range of
n/a 99–100% n/a n/a >99.8%
finished part
equal or better than equal or better than
Material properties of comparable to cast and properties of cast parts, equal or better than properties of cast parts,
n/a
finished part MIM parts comparable to properties cast parts comparable to properties
of wrought parts of wrought parts
Accuracy ± 0.1–0.5
(± 0.004–0.020)
from CAD to part or n/a n/a n/a n/a
depends on material and
tool insert mm (in) process parameters
Multi-material
yes n/a no no yes
capability
Maximum part size 245 x 230 x 200 600 x 600 x 500 600 dia. x 550 600 x 600 x 500 500 dia. x 400
mm (in) (9.6 x 9.1 x 7.9) (23.6 x 23.6 x 19.7) (26 x 21.7) (23.6 x 23.6 x 23.6) (19.7 dia. x 15.7)
compare material
Geometric
extrusion and MIM/sinter n/a n/a n/a n/a
limitations guidelines
Laser Engineered Laser Metal Laser Metal Laser Metal Laser Metal
Technology
Net Shaping Deposition Deposition Deposition Deposition
Raw material form metal powder metal powder metal wire and powder metal powder metal powder
tool steels, stainless
tool steels, stainless steels, carbides
steels, titanium, nickel steel, stainless steel, steel, stainless steel, embedded in metallic
aluminum, steel, nickel,
Available metals alloys, cobalt alloys,
CoCr, carbides
titanium alloys, and titanium alloys, and matrices, aluminum alloys,
aluminum alloys, copper aluminum alloys aluminum alloys titanium alloys, nickel
alloys, composites alloys, copper alloys,
cobalt alloys
Accuracy ±0.1–0.5
±0.25 (0.004–0.020),
from CAD to part or (0.01)
n/a n/a n/a
depends on material and
tool insert mm (in) process parameters
yes, or thermally
conductive material can
Conformal cooling be embedded during
n/a yes n/a no
build process
can apply different metals
yes, production of multi-
Multi-material and/or gradient structures 150 x 200 x 450
yes yes layer deposits combining
capability with up to four powder (5.9 x 7.9 x 17.7)
materials is possible
feeders
Raw material form metal powder metal powder wire metal powder metal powder
stainless steel, tool steel,
stainless steel, tool steel,
CoCr, aluminum, nickel
CoCr, aluminum, nickel carbon steel, titanium, aluminum, steel, nickel, specific to customer
Available metals alloys, titanium, copper
alloy, titanium, precious stainless steel, Inconel titanium demand
alloys, precious
metals, bronze
metals, bronze
Composition of
100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used
finished part
Density range of
>99.5% >99.5% n/a >99.5% >99.5%
finished part
equal or better than cast equal or better than cast equal or better than
Material properties of parts, comparable parts, comparable equal or better than equal or better than properties of cast parts,
finished part to properties of to properties of cast parts cast parts comparable to properties
wrought parts wrought parts of wrought parts
Accuracy
typically, ±0.02–0.05 0.035
from CAD to part or n/a
(0.0008–0.0020)
n/a
(0.0014)
n/a
tool insert mm (in)
Surface finish 5
n/a n/a n/a n/a
Ra µm (µin) (196)
Multi-material
no no n/a no no
capability
Maximum part size 300 dia. x 400 300 dia. x 400 40,000 x 8,000 x 2,000 350 x 350 x 350
defined by customer
mm (in) (11.8 dia. x 15.7) (11.8 dia. x 15.7) (1,575 x 310 x 75) (13.8 x 13.8 x 13.8)
Raw material form metal powder metal powder metal powder solid bar or powders(s) metal powder
stainless steel: 316L, 17-4
PH, 15-15, 400 Series
Ti-6Al-4V, AlSi10Mg, super alloys: 718, 625,
aliminium, titanium, steel – steel, titanium, aluminum, aluminum (6061, pure
Scalmalloy, 1.4404 CoCr F75, Hastelloy X
Available metals open platform for
(AISI 316L), 1.2709, tool steels: maraging
magnesium, copper, and other blends),
materials development nickel copper (pure)
IN718, IN62 M300, H13, aluminum
AlSi10Mg, titanium
Ti-6Al-4, Copper, Bronze
Density range of
>99.5 % >99.5 % 99 to 100% Up to 100% up to 99.9%
finished part
equal or better than
Material properties of equal or better than equal or better than properties of cast parts, equal or better than
near-wrought or better
finished part cast parts cast parts comparable to properties properties of cast parts
of wrought parts
Multi-material yes,
no no yes yes
capability with MIDI system
Maximum part size 420 x 420 x 400 420 x 420 x 400 254 x 330 x 330 914.4 x 304.8 x 304.8 300 x 300 x 300
mm (in) (16.5 x 16.5 x 15.7) (16.5 x 16.5 x 15.7) (10 x 13 x 13) (36 x 12 x 12) (11.8 x 11.8 x 11.8)
Composition of
n/a 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used
finished part
Density range of
n/a >93% >99% 99–100% >99.8 %
finished part
equal or better than equal or better than equal or better than
Material properties of comparable to cast and properties of cast parts, properties of cast parts, properties of cast parts,
n/a
finished part MIM parts comparable to properties comparable to properties comparable to properties
of wrought parts of wrought parts of wrought parts
Multi-material
no no no no no
capability
machine, materials, machines, equipment, machines, equipment, raw materials provider or a machines, equipment
Offerings and services software, and services software, and services full-service parts provider and services
high-precision and low- automotive, aerospace aerospace, defense and
aerospace, automotive,
medical, aerospace, medium series production and defense, machine and space, engines,
Target markets semiconductor of parts for various tool builders, maintenance repair
medical, and tooling
industries
industries energy, medical and overhaul
Key process time 2.5–5 hours depending on
15–30 hours for thermal
for 125 mm (5 in) n/a
processing of metal
material and part n/a ~5 days
cube geometry
create supports, slice
data preparation, printing,
create processing data, STL- or CAD-data, PBF
Process steps debind/support removal,
n/a n/a RPD process, forging/ process, remove support
(CAD to part) sintering,
milling of final part structure, post-processing
post-processing
as desired
inkfluid cartridges loaded
Raw material form powder with nanometal metal powder metal wire metal powder
powder/ceramics
stainless steel, titanium
stainless steel, maraging titanium alloys, nickel
alloys, aluminum alloys,
Available metals stainless steel 316L, ZrO2 steel, Inconel, titanium, alloys, tool steel,
maraging steel, CoCr
CoCr, aluminum, copper stainless steel
alloy, nickel-based alloys
Composition of
100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used
finished part
Density range of
n/a >97% n/a >99% n/a
finished part
Material properties of comparable to cast and equal or better than equal or better than equal or better than
n/a
finished part MIM parts cast parts properties of cast parts properties of cast parts
x,y: 0.05–0.1
Detail capability <0.02 (0.002–0.004)
n/a n/a n/a
as small as X mm (in) (0.0008) z: 0.005–0.010
(0.0002–0.0004)
Accuracy
from CAD to part or n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
tool insert mm (in)
Multi-material
no yes no yes no
capability
Maximum part size 60 dia. x 30 500 x 280 x 200 258 x 258 x 350 900 x 600 x 300 260 x 260 x 320
mm (in) (2.4 dia. x 1.2) (19.7 x 11.0 x 7.9) (10.2 x 10.2 x 13.8) (35.4 x 23.6 x 11.8) (10.2 x 10.2 x 12.6)
Technology Selective Laser Melting Selective Laser Melting Selective Laser Melting Single Pass Jetting
Company SLM Solutions Bright Laser Technologies DMG Mori Desktop Metal
website www.slm-solutions.com www.xa-blt.com www.dmgmori.com www.desktopmetal.com
Company process Selective Laser Selective Laser Selective Laser Single Pass Jetting
name Melting Melting Melting (SPJ)
ISO/ASTM process powder bed fusion powder bed fusion powder bed fusion binder jetting
machines, equipment, materials,
machines, equipment, materials, machines, equipment, materials, machines, equipment, software,
Offerings process monitoring software,
and services and services and services
and services
direct metal parts, medical and direct metal parts for applications mass production of parts for
dental implants, aviation and in aerospace, automotive, automotive, aerospace, dental, aerospace, automotive,
Target markets aeronautics, automotive, energy medicine, electronics, and energy medical, tooling consumer, medical, tooling and
and general tooling applications industries more
printing: up to 12.000 cm³ per
Key process time 0.5–3 days, depending 0.5–3 days, hour (732 in³ per hour)
for 125 mm (5 in) on material and n/a depending on material 15–30 hours for curing and
cube accuracy and machine and accuracy thermal
processing of metal
create supports, slice STL- or create supports, slice STL- or create supports, slice STL- or
data preparation, printing,
Process steps CAD-data, PBF process, remove CAD-data, PBF process, remove CAD-data, PBF process, remove
curing, sintering,
(CAD to part) support structure, post-processing support structure, post-processing support structure, post-processing
post-processing
as desired as desired as desired
metal powder,
Raw material form metal powder metal powder metal powder
inkjet binder
pure titanium, titanium alloys, tool
steels, stainless steels, aluminum titanium alloy, high-temperature titanium alloy, aluminum alloys,
Available metals alloys, nickel-chrome alloys, alloy, high-strength steel, stainless steel, maraging steel, n/a
CoCr, stainless steel nickel-based alloys, CoCr alloys
copper alloys
Composition of
100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used 100% of metal/alloy used
finished part
Accuracy
±0.05 over 100 ±0.05 over 100
from CAD to part or (0.002 over 4)
n/a
(0.002 over 4)
n/a
tool insert mm (in)
Multi-material
no no no no
capability
Density range of
>99.5% >99% n/a >99%
finished part
in x-y plane, properties equal to
Material properties of equal or better than properties of equal or better than equal or better than
incoming feedstock, slightly
finished part cast parts cast parts properties of cast parts
less in z-direction
Accuracy ±0.013
from CAD to part or (0.0005) over n/a n/a n/a
tool insert mm (in) entire build volume
Appendix D: 3D Several pages of tables compare the technology, work volume, accuracy,
and speed of 3D scanning systems from around the world. Go to
scanning systems wohlersassociates.com/scan2022.pdf to view the information. These
by Michael Raphael pages are exclusive and not published elsewhere. All company
information and product specification data are subject to change.
ISBN 9780991333295
90000
9 780991 333295